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I isr c I D E isr T s 



ANECDOTES OF THE WAR: 



WITH NAKRATIVES OP 



GREAT BATTLES, GREAT MARCHES, GREAT EVENTS, 



iND A RECORD OP 



Heroic Deeds and Daring Personal AcMevements, 



■PTHIOn CHARACTERIZED 



THE GREAT CONFLICT FOR THE UNION. 



EDITED BT 

ORVILLE J. YICTOR, 

AUTHOR OP " HISTORY — CIVIL, POLITICAL AND MILITARY — OF THE S0UTHEK3 
REBELLION," " HISTORY OP AMERICAN CONSPIRACIES," "LIFE OF ABRAHAM ^ 
LINCOLN," "life of GARIBALDI," ETC., ETC. 



JAMES D. TORREY, PUBLISHER, 



13 SPRUCE STREET. 






I IV INTRODUCTION. 

regiments, officers and men from that State. Only this elaborate treasure gath- 
ering will suffice to preserve the five hundred thousand memories which should 
not he suffered to pass away from want of permanent record. 

While it shall be our pleasure to gather such incidents and anecdotes as have 
been put afloat on the great sea of journalism, we have aimed to produce a 
volume of permanent interest and value by presenting picturesque narratives of 
the most memorable conflicts on land and water, which now stand out on the 
page of history like landmarks to indicate the progress of Noi'thern arras. These 
battle pictures are faithfully rendered, yet they read more like the stories of a, 
romancer than the record of the annalist. The world never witnessed a war so 
full of illustrious deeds, of patriotic ardor, of self-sacrifice, of devotion to duty 
and principle ; and this volume, it is safe to say, will contain more of what is 
truly noble in manhood than could be gleaned from the twenty years of Napo- 
leon's struggle against combined Europe. 

Taken as a whole the volume forms a graphic running hutorij of the War for 
the Union. By reference to the Contents it will be perceived how nearly the 
entire ground of the four years' struggle is covered — prefaced, as each battle 
narrative is, by a sketch of events which culminated in the conflict described at 
length. As such a history it is offered to those disinclined to consider the more 
weighty and comprehensive work ^'hich it has been a four years of labor to 
prepare. 0. J. V. 




CONTENTS. 



CHAPTEK. 

I. 
II. 
III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

xvm. 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 
XXII. 
XXIII. 
XXIV. 
XXV. 
XXVI. 
XXVII. 



Introdtjctiok . . . . 

The Awakening 

The New Nation .... 

Th-e Mustering ... 

The Poets 

Early Incidents .... 

The Humors of the Hour 

The Spirit of the South 

The First and Second Tragedy 

The First Capture of the Flag . 

A Northern Breeze from tlie South 

McClellan's First Campaigu 

The First Disaster .... 

The Second Disaster . 

Incidents of the Battle of Bull Euu 

The Third Disaster 

Incidents of Ball's Bluff Disaster . 

The Spirit of Violence in the South 

Persecution of Unionists in Tennessee — Parson 
Brownlow's Story 

The Campaign in Missouri. The. First Disaster 

The Second Disaster in Missouri. The Siege and 
Fall of Lexington 

The Charge of the Three Hundred . 

Bombardment of the Port Royal Forts . 

Incidents of the Capture of the Port Royal Forts 

The Fall of Forts Ilcnry and Donelson . 

The Battle of Pittsburg Landing 

Incidents of the Battle of Pittsburg Landing 

Bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, 
and Fall of New Orleans . . . . 



PAGE. 

3 
9 

35 

41 

51 

65 

76 

83 

89 

100 

IOC 

113 

125 

133 

143 

151 

163 

169 

184 
200 

215 
233 
233 
237 
243 
251 
260 

273 



VI 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER. 

XXVIII. Incidents of the Capture of Forts Jackson and St 

Philip, and Fall of New Orleans 

XXIX. Battle of Pea Ridge and Incidents . 

XXX. The Battle of the Iron Clads 

XXXI. The Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days 

Contest 

XXXII. Pope's Campaign to Cover Washington . 

XXXIII. The Story of the Jessie Scouts 

XXXIV. Something for the Uninitiated . 
XXXV. The First Rebel Invasion .... 

XXXVI. The New Dispensation .... 

XXXVII. The Second Rebel Invasion .... 

XXXVIII. The Fall of Vicksburg .... 

XXXIX. Sherman's Marcli Through Georgia 

XL. Incidents and Anecdotes of the Grand Crusade, 

XLI. The Horrors of Southern Prisons . 

XLII. Sherman's Grand March Through the Carolinas 

XLIII. The Closing Scene ...... 

XLIV. Kebelliou's Greatest Crime . . 



280 
288 
297 

305 
323 
333 
345 
349 
370 
374 
387 
419 
435 
443 
450 
462 
478 



INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF THE WAR. 



I. 

THE AWAKENING. 

April 19tli, 1775, the blood of the Men of Massaclinsettg, 
tlie first martyrs in the cause of American Independence, was 
shed at Lexington. 

April 19th, 1861, the blood of the Men of Massachusetts, the 
first martyrs in the cause of the American Union, was shed at 
Baltimore. 

How the news flew over the land to arouse the already 
awakening vengeance of the Men of 1775 ! The blood of 
Lexington had not become diy ere the beacon-fires of alarm 
gleamed from the hills. While the young men flew to arms, 
the old men leaped into the saddle, to herald the tragedy and 
call the country to its defense. The message flew from lip to 
lip, from hill-top to hill-top, "until village repeated it to vil- 
lage ; the sea to the backwoods ; the plains to the highland? , 
and it was never sufiered to droop till it had been borne North 
and South, and East and West throughout the land. It spread 
over the bays that receive the Saco and the Penobscot. Its 
loud reveille broke the rest of the trappers of New Hampshire, 
and ringing like bugle-notes from peak to peak, overleapt the 
Green Mountains, swept onward to Montreal, and descended 
the ocean river, till the responses were echoed from the cliif at 
Quebec. The hills along the Hudson told to one another the 
tale." The summons hurried to the South. In one day it was 
at New York ; in one more at Philadelphia ; then it flew to 



10 INCIDENTS AXD ANECDOTES 

tlie Soiitli, to tlie West — was borne along tlie sea-coast to 
awaken tlie answering sliout from bays, and sonncls, and har- 
bors — was hurried over tlie Alicghanies to awaken the note of 
response in the solemn wilds of the pathless West. 

How sublimely did the men of that time resjDond to the 
call I The ferries ovei' the Merrimac swarmed with the men 
of New Ilampshire. Three days after that cry '■'■to arms P^ 
John Stark was on the Boston hills with his invincible bat- 
talion. From Connecticut came Putnam, the man of iron, rid- 
ing his horse one hundred miles in eighteen hours, and gather- 
ing as he ran a troop of followers, each armed with a rifle as 
true in its aim as the heart of its owner was loyal to Freedom. 
Little E.liode Island had a thousand of her resolute and hardy 
sons before Boston ere the oppressor had retreated from his 
sacrifice at Concord, and Nathaniel Greene was Ehode Island's 
leader. Thirty thousand patriots in a few days hemmed in the 
city of Boston, where the British had taken up their defiant 
stand ; and the tragedy of Bunker's Ilill was soon enacted 
before her gates. 

How all this sounds like the rush to arms in 1861 ! Sounds 
like it because the cause was the same — the defense of Consti- 
tutional Liberty and Inalienable Eights ; because the loyal men 
of '61 were w^orthy sons of the sires of '75 ; while the enemy 
of '61 were the degenerate sons of their sires, bent upon the 
destruction of those institutions which the heart of Liberty and 
the hand of Freedom had built. It was a cause worthy of the 
devotion lavished upon it ; and history will never tire of re- 
cording the generous deeds of those who answered the call for 
men to " suppress treasonable combinations and to cause the 
laws to be duly enforced." 

The Diary of Events, from the fall of Sumter to May 1st, 
deserves to be preserved in every man's memorj^ The events 
were so extraordinary in themselves, the spirit in which the 
people acted was so astonishingly alive with devotion to the 
country and the sustenance of its laws, that another generation 
will study the story vatli amazement. As preliminary to our 
work, we may offer tlic record of that remarkable Awakening. 



OF THE WAR. H 

April 13tb, 1861. The attack upon Fort Sumter, and its 
surrender, instead of depressing, fires and animates all patriotic 
hearts. One deep, strong, overpowering sentiment now sweeps 
over the whole community — a sentiment of determined, de- 
voted, active loyalty. The day for the toleration of treason — 
treason to the Constitution ! defiance to the laws that we have 
made ! — has gone by. The people have discovered that what 
thoy deemed almost impossible, has actually come to pass, and 
that the rebels are determined to break up this Government, 
if they can do it. With all such purposes they are determined 
to make an end as speedily as may be. ] 

— The Pennsylvania Legislature passed the war bill, last 
evening, without amendment. Previous to its passage the 
news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter was announced, and 
produced a profound sensation. The bill appropriates five 
hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of arming and equip- 
ping the militia ; airthorizes a temporary loan ; provides for 
the appointment of an Adjutant-General, Commissary-General, 
and Quartermaster-General, who, with the Governor, are to 
have power to carry the act into effect. 

April 15th. The President of the United States called by 
.proclamation for'75,000 volunteers to suppress insurrectionary 
combinations ; and commanded " the persons composing the 
combinations aforesaid to disperse and retire peaceably to their 
respective abodes within twenty days." In the same proclama- 
tion, an extra session of both Houses of Congress was called 
for the 4th of July. 

— Large Union meetings were held at Detroit, Mich., West- 
chester and Pittsburgh, Pa., Lawrence, Mass., and Dover, N. H. 
At Pittsburgh the meeting was opened by the Mayor, who in- 
troduced the venerable William Wilkinson. Mr. Wilkinson 
was made President of the meeting. About twenty -five Vice- 
Presidents were also appointed. Kesolutions were adopted, 
declaring undj-ing fealty to the Union, approving the course 
of the Legislative and Executive branches of the State Govern- 
ment in responding to the call of the President, disregarding 
all partisan feeling, and pledging their lives, fortunes, and 



12 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

sacred lionor in tlie defense of the Union, and appointing a 
Committee of Public Safety. 

— Governor Yates, of Illinois, issued a proclamation to convene 
tlie Legislature at Springfield, on tlie 23d of April, for the pur- 
pose of enacting such laws and adopting such measures as may 
be deemed necessary upon the following subject, to wit : The 
more perfect organization and equipment of the militia of the 
State, and placing the same upon the best footing, to render 
efficient assistance to the General Government in preserving 
the Union, enforcing the laws, protecting the property and 
rights of the people, and also the raising of such money, and 
other means, as may be required to carry out the foregoing 
objects. 

— At Philadelphia the Union pledge is receiving the signature 
of all classes of citizens. It responds to the President's pro- 
clamation, and declares an unalterable determination to sustain 
the Government, thi'owing aside all differences of political 
opinion. 

— An excited crowd assembled this morning before the print- 
ing office on the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, where 
the Palmetto Flag, a small advertising sheet, is published, and 
threatened to demolish it. The proprietor displayed the 
American flag, and threw the objectionable papers from the 
windows — also, the Stais and Stripes, another paper printed at 
the same office, restoring the crowd to good-humor. The 
crowd moved down to the Argus office in Third street, oppo- 
site Dock street, ordering that the flag should be displayed. 

— j\.iiex visiting the newspaper offices and Government pro- 
perty, they marched in a body up Market street, bearing a flag. 
At all points on the route, well-known Union men were obliged 
to make all haste to borrow, beg, or steal something red, white, 
and blue, to protect their property with. Searches were made 
for the publication rooms of the Southern Monitor ; but as that 
paper had suspended, the mob were unable to carry out their 
intention of destroying the forms. They satisfied themselves 
with breaking the signs to pieces. The ring-leaders were fur- 
Viished with ropes, with which to hang the editor if caught 



OF THE WAR. 13 

Daring the afternoon, General Patterson's mansion, comer 
of Thirteenth and Locust streets, was mobbed and threatened 
with destruction. A servant answered their call, and unfor- 
tunatclj'' slammed the door in their faces. The crowd became 
uproarious and violent, and made an attempt to force opeu the 
door. General Patterson linally appeared at the window, bear- 
ing the colors of the regiment. The crowd then moved away. 
It is understood that General Patterson, who is charged with. 
secessionism, intends throwing up his commission. 

They then visited General Cadwallader, who made a Union 
speech and threw out a flag. Several prominent Southerners, 
with secession proclivities, including Robert Tyler, have received 
warnings from a so-called Vigilance Committee. 

The following is the speech that was made by Mayor Henry 
to the excited mob wliich threatened the Palmetto Flag 
building : 

" Fellow Citizens : By the gi'ace of Almighty God, treason 
shall never rear its head or have a foothold in Philadelphia* 
[Immense cheering.] I call upon you as American citizens to 
stand by your flag and protect it at all hazards — at the point 
of the bayonet, if necessary ; but, in doing so, remember the 
rights due your fellow-citizens and their private property. 
[Immense cheering.] That flag is an emblem of the Govern- 
ment, and I call upon all good citizens who love their country 
and its flag, to testify their loj^alty by going to their respective 
places of abode, leaving to the constituted authorities of the 
city the task of protecting the peace, and preventing every act 
which could be construed into treason to their countiy." The 
Mayor then hoisted the Stars and Stripes. 

— Seventeen-vessels were seized in the port of New York from 
ports in southern States, their clearances being improper, and 
not signed by United States officers. They were fined $100. 
each, and some were held subject to forfeiture. 

— Albany, New York, has presented an unwonted appearance 
all day to-day. The Capitol has been thronged with citizens 
who have apparently left their business to gather at head-quar- 
ters, and watch eagerly the progress of events. The spirit of 



14 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the masses is decidedly aroused, and, from present indications, 
Albany will be behind no city in the State or Union in evinc- 
ing her patriotism and her determination, as the crisis has 
come, to stand firmly by the Government of the country, with- 
out pausing to charge upon any the responsibility of the pre- 
sent teiTible events. 

— TheDu'ectors ofthe Bank of Commerce, of Providence, R L, 
advanced a loan of $30,000 to the State, for aiding in the outfit 
of troops. Large offers from private citizens have also been 
made to Governor Sprague for a similar purpose. The Globe 
Bank tendered to the State a loan of $50,000. 

— An enthusiastic Union meeting was held at Cleveland, 
Ohio. Speeches were made by Senator Wade, and other pro- 
minent gentlemen. Kesolutions were adopted to sustain the 
Government, approving of the President's call for voliinteci-s, 
recommending the Legislature to make appropriations of men 
and money, and appointing a committee to ascertain the ef- 
ficiency of the Cleveland militia, 

— Fernando Wood, Mayor of New York, issued a proclama- 
tion, calling upon the people of the city lo avoid turbulence 
and excitempnt, and to rally to the restoration of the Constitu- 
tion and Union. 

— An immense Union meeting held in Tro}^, Xew York, ad- 
journed in a body to the vicinity of General Wool's residence. 
Li response to the patriotic address of the chau-man, General 
Wool rejoiced at the glorious demonstration. Never before 
had he been filled with such a measure of joy. He had 
fought under the old flag, but had only done his duty. His 
appeal in behalf of his country's honor was very touching. 
" Will you," he said, " permit the Stars and Stripes to be dese- 
crated and trampled in the diist by traitors now ? Will you 
permit our noble Government to be destroyed by rebels, in 
order that they may advance their schemes of political am- 
bition and extend the area of slavery ? It cannot be done ! 
The spirit of the age forbids. Humanity and manhood forbid 
it The sentiment of the civilized world forbids it. That flao: 
XDMst be lifted fi-om the dust and saved from sacrilefre at tho 



OFTHEWAR. ^ 15 

hands of apostates to truth, liberty, and honor. I pledge you 
my heart, my hand, my energies to the cause. The Union 
shall be maintained. I am prepared to devote my life to the 
work, and to lead you in the struggle." ' 

— The Governor of Kentucky, in reply to Secretary Came- 
ron's call for troops from that State, says : " Your dispatch is 
received. In answer, I say emphatically, Kentucky will fur- 
nish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing her sister 
Southern States. B. Magoffin." 

— General visitation, by the populace, to newspaper offices 
in New York and several other cities. Newspapers regarded 
as of doubtful loyalty are compelled to run out the Stars and 
Stripes. 

April 16th. A great Union meeting was held to-day at Ty- 
rone, Pa. Ex-U. S. Senator Bigler expressed unequivocal sen- 
timents of loyalty, and called upon the people to sustain the 
Government in the exercise of its energies to suppress rebellion. 

— The Einggold Flying Artillery, of Eeading, Pa., Captain 
James McKnight, 180 men, with four ii eld-pieces, received a 
requisition from the Governor this morning to set out this 
evening, at six o'clock, for Harrisburg, the place of rendezvous 
for the flrst Pennsylvanians in the field. Two military com- 
panies from Tyrone, two from Altoona, and two from Holli- 
daysburg, will leave to-morrow for Harrisburg. 

— Four regiments, ordered to report for service in Boston, 
Mass., commenced arriving there before nine A. M. this morning, 
the companies first arriving not having received their orders 
until last night. Already about thirty companies have arrived, 
numbering over 1,700 men in uniform, and with these are 
several hundi*ed who are importunate to be allowed to join the 
ranks. 

— The City Government of Lawrence, Mass., appropriated 
$5,000 for the benefit of the families of those who have volun- 
teered to defend the country's flag. 

— Governor Buckingham, of Connecticut, issued a proclama- 
tion calling for volunteers, to rendezvous at Hartford. 

— The Mechanics', Elm City, Fairfield County, Thames, and 



16 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

otlier banks of Connecticut, voted large sums of money to 
assist in equipping the troops, and the support of their families. 

— New Hampshire responds to the President's proclamation, 
and will furnish the troops required. The Concord Union 
Bank tendered a loan of $20,000 to the Governor, and all the 
Directors, with the Cashier, agree to contribute $100 each to 
the support of such families of the volunteers of Concord, as 
may flill in defending the flag of the countr}^ 

— The session of the New York East Methodist Conference 
was opened by the following prayer : " Grant, O God, that all 
the efforts now being made to overthrow rebellion in our dis- 
tracted country-, may be met with every success. Let the 
forces that have risen against our Government, and Thy law, 
be scattered to the winds, and may no enemies be allowed to 
prevail against us. Grant, God, that those who have aimed 
at the very heart of the republic may be overthrown. We ask 
Thee to bring these men to destruction, and wipe them from 
the face of the country !" 

— Governor Letcher, of Virginia, responds to the demand for 
troops : " I have only to say that tlie militia of Virginia will 
not hefurnisiied to the jpowers at Washington for any such use or 
purpose as they have in vieiu. Your object is to subjugate the 
Southern States, and a requisition made upon me for such an 
object — an object, in my judgment, not within the purview of 
the Constitution or the Act of 1795 — will not be complied 
with. You have chosen to inaugurate civil luar, and, liaving done 
so, loe luill meet it in a sjnrit as determined as the Administration 
has exhibited towards the South.''^ 

— The Governor of North Carolina refused to comply with 
the call, expressing his doubts as to the President's authority 
to make the call. He, at the same date, made quick prepara- 
tions to seize all Government property in the State, and to 
place the State on a footing of military efficiency. 

— A large meeting of German workmen held in Newark, New 
Jersey. The Germans everywhere in the North evince a spirit 
of great devotion to the cause of the Union. 

— General Cass, late Secretary of State, in a speech at De- 



OF THE "WAR. 



17 



troit, took tlie strongest ground for tlie Union. Every citizen, 
lie declared, should stand by tlie Government 

— Great meetings are held to-day throughout the chief towns 
in the Western States. The people are represented as " all on 
fii-e^'' — all parties " fusing" on the common gi-ound of devotion 
to the Union. Intense enthusiasm prevails. A volunteer roll 
opened at Michigan City, Indiana, was first signed by a minis- 
ter of the Gospel. The first company of Indiana Volunteers 
left Lafayette, to-day, for the rendezvous at Indianapolis. Over 
two hundred companies are represented as nearly formed in 
the State, ready for regimental organization. Illinois is not 
behind. Ohio has moved with alacrity. Captain McClellan 
will be made Major-General, to command the Ohio Volunteers. 

— Virginia " seceded" to-da}^, and her Governor issued a 
proclamation acknowledging the Independence of the Southern 
Confederacy. 

— Washington City is regarded as in great danger of seizure 
by the Secessionists of Virginia, aided by a mob of cut-throats 
from Baltimore. Colonel Ben McCullough is known to be 
chief of the organization for the seizure of the Capital The 
Southern papers generally regard the seizure as certain, and it 
is proclaimed that the Davis Government vdll occupy the Capi- 
tal Great precautions are being taken by General Scott to 
guard the place. The city is under arms. Volunteer compa- 
nies, comprising Members of Congress and Government em- 
ployees, are organized, armed and on duty. The District 
militia is enrolled and in service, under command of Adjutant- 
General McDowell. Large numbers of Northern men, singly 
and in squads, are hurrying to the Capital to enlist in its de- 
fense. One entire battalion of Philadelphia troops reach the 
city — the first volunteers in the field. 

— ^Jefferson Davis to-day issued his proclamation, initiating 
the privateer system. 

April 18. Governor Harris, of Tennessee, replies to Presi- 
dent Lincoln's call for two regiments of troops, by saying that 
" Tennessee will not furnish a single man for coercion, but fifty 
S 



18 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

tliousand, if necessary, for the defense of our rights, or those 
of our Southern In'others." 

— Governor Jackson, of Missouri, answers Secretary Came- 
ron by telling him that his " requisition is illegal, unconsti- 
tutional, revolutionary, inhuman, diabolical, and cannot be 
complied with." 

— The Common Council of Boston appropriated $100,000 to 
provide for soldiers enlisting from Boston. The Lowell city 
government appropriated $8,000 for soldiers' families. 

— The banks in Trenton, K. J., Chicago, III, Portland, Me., 
subscribed in support of the Federal Government. A meeting 
of the officers, representing all the Boston (Mass.) banks, was 
held this morning, when resolutions were adopted to loan the 
State of Massachusetts 10 per cent, on their entire capital for 
the defense of the Government. The capital of the Boston 
banks amounts to $38,800,000. 

— ^At Pittsburg, Pa., an intense war feeling prevails. Busi- 
ness is almost suspended. Immense crowds throng all the 
prominent streets, flags are floating everywhere, and the volun- 
teer companies are all filled and departing eastward. Liberal 
subscriptions are being made for the comfort of volunteers and 
the support of their families. Eecruiting is still going on, al- 
though there are more than enough for the requirements of the 
State to fill the Federal requisition. A Committee of Public 
Safety held a meeting to-day, and organized. A large quantity 
of powder which had been sent down the river, was intercepted 
at Steubenville, it being feared it would fall into the hands of 
the Secessionists. Eopes were suspended to lamp-posts last 
night, by unknown persons, labelled " Death to traitors." Some 
assaults have been made on persons who have expressed sym- 
pathy with the Secessionists. 

• — Lieutenant R Jones, of the United States army, in com- 
mand at Harper's Ferry with forty-three men, destroyed the 
arsenal at that place and retreated. He was advised that a 
force of 2,500 men had been ordered to take his post, by 
Governor Letcher ; and he put piles of powder in straw in all 



OF TUE WAR. 19 

the buildings, and quietly awaited the approach of the enemy. 
When his picket-guard gave the alarm that 600 Virginians 
were approaching by the Winchester road, the men were run 
out of the arsenal and the combustibles fifed. The peoplo 
fired upon the soldiers, killing two, and rushed into the ar- 
senal. All the works, munitions of war, and 15,000 stand of 
arms were destroyed. 

— An intimation is given tliat the U. S. volunteers will be 
assailed, if any attempt is made to pass to "Washington through 
Baltimore. The Baltimore canaille is being excited to a mob 
spirit by secession emissaries. 

— The Sixth Massachusetts regiment pass through New 
York en route for Washington, via Baltimore. 

• — The Mayor of Baltimore and the Governor of Maryland 
unite in a proclamation, urging the people to preserve the 
peace. The Governor stated that no Marjdand troops should 
be placed at the General Government s disposal, except for the 
defense of the Capital. 

— An immense mass Union meeting was hekl in Louisville, 
this evenino". 

O 

— Governor Morgan, of New York, issued his Proclamation 
for volunteers. 

— Major Anderson and his command arrive in New York on 
the transport Baltic. They have an enthusiastic reception. 

April 19. The Presidc-.it of the United States issues his 
Proclamation of Blockade of the ports in the rebellious States. 

■ — A most important session of the New York Chamber of 
Commerce is held to-day. Perfect harmony prevailed. The 
Government was sustained, and a Committee of the leading 
capitalists appointed to insure the taking of nine millions^ of 
the Treasury loan yet on the market. The resolutions adopted 
fairly rung with decision and patriotism. As the Chamber 
represented over two hundred millions of dollars in actual re- 
serve, the proceedings were regarded as of the highest im])ort- 
ance. From that moment the men of wealth of the metropolis 
were almost unanimously committed to the policy of an over* 



20 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

•whelming demonstration of the Government's power against its 
enemies. 

— An American flag, forty by twenty feet, was inin ont on 
Trinity Church spire, New Yorlc. The church bells chimed 
national airs in honor of the occasion. 

— An attack is made, by the Baltimore ruffians, on the Mas- 
sachusetts Sixth and the Pennsylvania Seventh regiments, 
which were passing through the city e?i route for Washington. 
The Massachusetts men occupied eleven cars. Nine cars suc- 
ceeded in reaching the Washington depot: the other two were 
cut off by the mob, when their troops alighted, formed a solid 
square, and, preceded by the Mayor and police, marched up 
Pratt street for the depot. Brickbats, stones, and pieces of iron 
were hurled at the troops, but, obeying orders, they withheld 
any demonstration against their assailants, notwithstanding 
several of the men were seriously injured. This leniency only 
served to inflame the mob to further violence. Attempts were 
made to seize the muskets of the men, and a pistol-shot from a 
window killed one of the soldiers. The ruffian who committed 
the deed was immediately shot by one of the soldiers. An 
immediate passage of shots followed — the solid square, with 
fixed bayonets, led by the Mayor, still pressing on to the de- 
pot, bearing their wounded and dead in then- centre. The de- 
pot was at length reached, when it was found that two of the 
Massachusetts men were killed and eight wounded — one mor- 
tally. Eleven of the mob were ' killed and thirteen wounded. 
This affair so fearfully excited the people of Baltimore that, for 
several days, the mob virtually reigned uncontrolled, overaw- 
ing the ^layor and Governor, and finding coadjutors in the 
Chief of Police and the Police Board. The Chief of Police 
sped a dispatch and sent runners over the country to huny 
forward the secession emissaries to " drive back the Northern 
invaders." His dispatch, soon brought to light, proved the 
fellow to be one of the secret agents of the traitors. 

— The Pennsylvania troops arrived in Baltimore a few 
minutes after the Massachusetts men, and remained at tho 



OF THE WAR. 21 

Pliiladelpliia depot to await tlie issue of tlie attempt to pass. 
The mob fell back, after the tragedy in Pratt street, upon the 
Pennsjlvanians, who were entirely unarmed. They gathered 
in the depot, and soon orders came from the city authorities 
and the Governor for the railway company to return the troops 
to the State line — an order soon obeyed. 

— In view of the state of feeling at Baltimore, the Mayor 
and Governor united in a commission to the President to re- 
present that no more troops could pass through their city un- 
less they fought their way. The President decided to spare 
the effusion of blood by ordering the regiments to march 
around the city. The route by way of Perryville and Annap- 
olis was soon opened by General Butler, with the Massachu- 
setts Eighth, assisted by the New York Seventh, 

— The entire North was fearfully excited by the news of the 
attack on the Massachusetts men. It only served to intensify 
the antagonisms existing. It was so potent in exciting the 
public that every recruiting rendezvous in the North was 
literally overrun with applicants for positions in the ranks. It 
is estimated that more men offered in Pennsylvania than 
would fill the entire requisition of AjDril 15th. 

— Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, sent the following 
dispatch to Mayor Brown : "I pray you, cause the bodies of 
our Massachusetts soldiers, dead in battle, to be immediately 
laid out, preserved in ice, and tenderly sent forward by ex- 
press to me. All expenses will be paid by this Common- 
wealth." This was complied with, and the Mayor wrote 
apologetically for that sad occurrence. 

— The City Council of Philadelph'a, at a special meeting, 
appropriated $1,000,000 to equip the volunteers and support 
their families dming their absence from home. Fourteen 
thousand dollars were subscribed for the same purpose at 
Norwich, Conn. 

—The Seventh regiment, N, Y. S. M., left for Washington at 
noon, amid the wildest enthusiasm. An innumerable throng 
cheered them on their way. News of the assault in Baltimore 
was received before they left, when forty-eight rounds of ball- 
cartridge were served oat. 



22 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

— The Rhode IsLincl Marine artillcrj followed the Serenth. 
This superb battery reflected great credit on the State and its 
Governor. It was composed of 130 men, 110 horses, eight 
splendid field-pieces and all requisite accessories. The com- 
mander. Colonel Tomkins, was eager to open the route through 
Baltimore. 

— The Massachusetts Eighth followed the Rhode Islanders. 
It was accompanied bj Brigadier-General B. F. Butler, in 
general command of the Massachusetts forces. 

— Anticipating the descent of the forces now gathered at 
Philadelphia, the Baltimore mob proceeded to Canton station, 
on the Philadelphia railway, and, stopping the evening train, 
compelled the passengers all to leave it. The engineer was 
then made to run the mob up to the Gunpowder bridge — a 
fine structure over Gunpowder Creek. The draw and shore 
sections of the bridge were burned. The train then returned 
to Bush River bridge, which was also burned. Then the Can- 
ton bridge was flred and consumed. After the work of de- 
struction the mob returned to Baltimore, on the train, and were 
received with acclamations. 

— Stupendous mass meeting of the people of New York 
City, called by citizens of all parties and religious denomina- 
tions, to express sympathy with the Government. The entire 
demonstration was harmonious and satisfactory, and resulted 
in great good to the common cause. It is estimated that one 
hundred thousand people, directly or indirectly, participated in 
the proceedings. The " Union Defense Committee" — composed 
of twenty-six of the most v.'calthy and prominent men of the 
city [the number afterwards was increased to thirty -two,] grew 
out of the great gathering. Its business was to collect and 
disburse funds for arming, equipping, and placing in the field 
the New York City regiments — to care for the families of the 
Volunteers — to co-operate with Government in whatever would 
tend to strengthen the National cause. It was one of the most 
beneficent and effective organizations of the war. Besides the 
large private subscriptions placed at its disposal, the City Gov- 
ernment voted one million of dollars, to be expended under 
the Committee's direction. 



OF THE "WAR. 23 

— Tlic Gosport (Norfolk) Navy-yard destroyed during the 
night of April 19-20. Government property to tlie amount 
of over eleven millions of dollars was committed to the flames 
and the water, "to keep it," as the officer in charge, Commander 
McAuley said, " from falling into the hands of the revolu- 
tionists" — then in considerable force at Norfolk, under com- 
mand of General Taliaferro. Commodore Paulding sailed in, 
on the Paivnee, at eight P. M., (Apiil 19th,) to find the Merrimac 
steam frigate disabled, the Germantown^ Raritan^ Pennsijlvania^ 
Plymouth^ and other vessels either scuttled or given up to the 
flames. The Cumherland frigate alone, of all that fine fleet, 
was saved by the accidental presence of the YanJcee, steam-tug, 
owned by William B. Astor, of New York, and sent out by 
him " to be of some service to Government somewhere." The 
buildings, timber, two thousand pieces of ordnance (of all sizes, 
fi'om the heavy Columbiad and Dahlgren to the boat howitzer,) 
small-arms, stocks, shears, machinery — all were offered up, a 
holocaust to rebellion and James Buchanan's want of foresight 
and courage. Neither is the administration of Mr. Lincoln 
blameless, for it should have taken all the movable property 
away, under the guns of the very frigates which were commit- 
ted to the flames and waves. Viewed in every aspect, it was 
a most wretched affair. 

— At a second great Union meeting in Chicago, during the 
proceedings, at the suggestion of Judge Manni-ere, the entire 
audience raised their right hands and took the oath of alle- 
giance to the United States Government — repeating the oath 
after the Judge. 

— Orders were issued by the officers of the Western Union, 
and the New York, Albany and Buffalo Telegraphic Compa- 
nies, that no messages be received ordering arms or munitions 
of war, unless for the use of the Genei-al Government. 

April 20 th. Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, convenes 
the Legislature of his State for the 80th of April, " to take into 
consideration and to adopt such measures as the present emer- 
gencies may demand." 

— A. letter was received at Philadelphia from Governor 



24 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Letcher, of Virginia, offering $30,000 to the patentee of the 
bullet-mould. The reply was, " No money can purchase it 
against the country." 

— The Council of Wilmington, Del., appropriated $8,000 
to defend the citj^, and passed resolutions approving of the 
President's proclamation. Also, asking the Governor to issue 
a proclamation for the same purpose. The Brandywine bridges 
and all on the road between Susquehanna and Philadelphia are 
guarded, and workmen have been sent to repair the bridges 
destroyed on the Northern Central road. 

— The Missourians seized the United States arsenal, at 
Liberty, Mo., and garrisoned it with 100 men. In the arsenal 
were 1,300 stand of arms, ten or twelve pieces of cannon, and 
quite an amount of powder. 

— Two thousand stand of arms were furnished the citizens 
of Leavenworth, from the arsenal at Fort Leavenworth, and the 
commander ot that post accepted the services of 300 volun- 
teers, to guard the arsenal, pending the ari'ival of trooj^s fi'om 
Fort Kearney. 

— The Federal Government takes possession of the railway 
between Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

— General Scott telegraphed to John J. Crittenden, of Ken- 
tucky, who had questioned him by telegraph as to the truth of 
the report that he had resolved to desert the Federal cause : 
" I have not changed ; have no thought of change ; always a 
Union man." 

April 21st. The Mayor of Baltimore had an interview with 
the President, to try and persuade him not to order any more 
troops through Maryland. 

— Arrival in New York of the Third battalion of Massachu- 
setts rifles, Major Devens commanding. 

■ — An immense mass meeting in Boston (it being Sunday) 
was held preparatory to raising a choice regiment for Fletcher 
Webster (son of Daniel Webster). It became a popular ova- 
tion befoi-e its close. A large number of the leading citizens 
addressed the crowd throughout the da}^ 

— ^Tbe First Ehode Island regiment passed through New 



OF THE WAR. 25 

York, en. route for Wnsliington, by way of Annapolis. It sailed 
from New York this (Sunday) evening, in company with the 
New York Sixth, Twelfth, and Seventy- first regiments of militia. 
The crowd was dense in the sti'eets, during the entire daj^, to 
witness the embarkation of the regiments on the transports. 
The incidents of this day in New York wc advert to in a suc- 
ceeding chapter. 

— Tlie North Carolinians seized the United. States Branch 
Mint, at Charlotte, in that State. 

— Great gatherings in all the churches throughout the North, 
to hear " Sermons on the Crisis." Some most remarkable de- 
monstrations v^^ere witnessed. In Ilenry Ward Beecher's 
church, at Brooklyn, a communication was read from the Thir- 
teenth regiment of New York militia, asking for help in uni- 
forming and equipping them for service. Over $1,100 were 
forthwith contributed. In the city of New York patriotism y 

was the theme of discourse. In the Broadway Tabernacle, the 
pastor, Rev. J. P. Thompson, D. D., preached a sermon in the 
evening on " God's Tim.e of Threshing." The choir performed 
" The Marseillaise" to a hymn composed for the occasion by the 
pastor. A collection was taken for the Volunteers' Home 
Fund, amounting to $450 — to which a member of the congre- 
gation afterwards added $100. Dr. Bethune's sermon was 
from the text : " In the name of our God we will set up our 
banners." In Dr. Bellows' church, the choir sang " The Star 
Spangled Banner," which Vv^as vigorously applavided by the 
whole house. At Grace Church, (Episcopal,) Dr. Taylor l^egaii 
by saying, " The Star Spangled Banner has been insulted." 
The gallant Major Anderson and his wife attended service at 
Trinitj''. At Dr. McLane's Presbyterian Church, Williams- 
burg, " The Star Spangled Banner" was sung. Dr. T. D. 
Wells (Old School Presbyterian) preached from the words : 
" He that liath no sword, let him buy one." Dr? Osgood's text 
was : " Lift up a standard to the people." The religious world 
certainly- never before witnessed such an invasion of the pul- 
pit Great numbers of churches were organizing companies, 
4 



26 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and one pnsto]-, Rev. Dr. Pcrrj, of Brooklyn, assumed com* 
mand of a regiment. 

— Tlie American flag was publicly buried at ^Memphis, 
Tenn., on this day, amid a great concouTsc of citizens. The 
funeral rites were read, and a volley fn-ed over the grave. 

A^ml 22d. Great pressure brought to bear on the President 
to procu]*e some countermand of the order for troops to march 
to Washington. One delegation of thirty, from five " Young 
Men's Christian Associations" of Baltimore, liad a prolonged 
interview, but made no impression upon him. Governor 
Hicks approached him with a communication, again urging 
the withdrawal of troops from Maryland, a cessation- of hostil- 
ities, and a reference of the National dispute to the arbitrament 
of Lord Lyons. To this the Secretary of State replied, that 
the troops were only called out to suppress insurrection, and 
must come through Baltimore, as that was the route chosen 
for them by tfte Commander-in-Chief, and that our troubles 
could not be "referred to aaiy foreign arbitrament." 

— Colonel Robert E. Lee, late of the U. S. Army, is named 
by the Governor of Virginia Commander-in-Chief of the forces 
of that State. 

— The U. S. arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C, is seized by the 
orders of Governor Ellis. The Governor, at the same date, 
called out 80,000 troops, in addition to the organized militia, 
to be in readiness at a moment's notice. 

— The N. Y. city Common Council appropriated one million 
of dollare for equipping and caring for the comfort of vol- 
unteers. 

— The N. Y. Twenty-fifth militia regiment an-ived in the 
city from Albany, en route for Wasliington. 

— The N. Y. Seventh and Massachusetts Eighth regiments 
arrive, by transports from Philadelphia, at Annapolis, where 
they land and seize the railway to "Washington. The troops 
of the Eighth seized the frigate Constitution — " Old L'onsides," 
which was in danger of capture by the Secessionists. General 
Butler, ia his order congratulating the men on the safety of 



OF THE WAR. 27 

the old frigate, said : " The fr'gaie Constitution has lain for a 
long time at tliis port substantially at the mercy of the amied 
mob wliicli sometimes paral^^zcs the otherwise loyal State of 
Marj^land. Deeds of daring, successful contests, and glorious 
victories, had rendered Old Ironsides so conspicuous in the 
na^•al histoiy of the country, that she was fitly chosen as the 
school in Avhich to train the future officers of the navy to like 
heroic acts. It was given to Massachusetts and Essex county 
first to man her ; it was reserved to Massachusetts to have the 
lionoi" to rctaiirher for the service of the Union and the laws." 
— The Secretary of War conveys to Major Anderson the ap- 
proval of tlie Executive of his conduct in the defense of Fort 
Sumter, viz. : 

" War Departiment, Washington, ) 
April 23d, 1861. [ 

^^ Major Robert Anderson, late Commandinrj OJJicer at Fort 
Sumter : 

" My Dear Sir : I am directed by the President of the 
United States, to communicate to a'ou, and through you to the 
officers and men under your command at Forts Moultrie and 
Sumter, the approbation of the Government of your and their 
judicious and gallant conduct there ; and to tender to you and 
them the thanks of the Government for the same. 
" I am, veiy respectfully, 

"SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War." 

— Father Rafina, priest of the IMontrose Avenue Catholic 
Church, Williamsburg, N. Y., with his own hands raised the 
American flag upon the top of his church. The ceremony was 
witnessed by at least two thousand people, who greeted the 
glorious emblem with cheer after cheer, as it waved majestic- 
ally over the sacred edifice. The reverend father addressed 
the assemblage in a few appropriate remarks, which were re- 
ceived with marked enthusiasm. 

— The Charleston Mercunj (lings defiance at the North — call- 
ing Lincoln a usurper, and saying: "he will deplore the 
'higher-law' depravity which lias governed his counsels. Seek- 
ing the sword, in spite of all moral or constitutional restraints 



28 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and obligations, lie may perisli by tlie sword. lie sleeps al- 
ready with soldiers at liis gate, and the grand reception-room 
of the White House is converted into quarters for troops from 
Kansas — border ruffians of Abolitionism." 

• — A fine Union meeting was held in Lexington, Kentucky. 
The Stars and Stripes were raised ; the people generally ex- 
pressed their determination to adhere to them to the last 
Speeches were made by Messrs. Field, Crittenden, Codey, and 
others. The most unbounded enthusiasm prevailed, and the 
speakers were greeted with great applause. 

April 23d. The feeling in the South at this date may be 
inferred from the call of the Governor of Louisiana for troops. 
He said: "The Government at Washington, maddened by 
defeat and the successful maintenance by our patriotic people 
of their rights and liberties against its mercenaries m tlie har- 
bor of Charleston, and the determination of the Southern 
people forever to sever themselves from the Northern Govern- 
ment, has now thrown off the mask, and, sustained by the 
people of the non-slaveholding States, is actively engaged in 
levying war, by land and sea, to subvert your liberties, destroy 
your rights, and to shed your blood on your own soil. If you 
have the manhood to resist, rise, then, pride of Louisiana, in- 
your might, in defense of your dearest rights, and drive back 
this insolent, barbaric force. Like 3-our brave ancestrj', resolve 
to conquer or perish in the effort ; and the flag of usurpation 
will never fly over Southern soil. lially, then, to the proclama- 
tion which I now make on the requisition of the Confederate 
Government." The enthusiasm in the South was represented 
as equal to that prevailing in the North. The contest was re- 
garded as a war of sections, and the South seemed to entertain 
no other idea but that of the complete defeat of the North. 
The idea generally prevailed that a Southern soldier was equal 
to five Northern " hirelings." The terms used to characterize 
the Northern soldiers were very offensive, and the idea seemed 
to prevail that the army of Federal volunteers was comiDosed 
of the very lowest scum of society. As Northern papers could 



OF THE WAE. , 29 

not circulate hi the South, tlie people really never knew Letter, 
until they learned at the bayonet's point. 

— The Western Pennsylvania regiments pass through Phila- 
delphia, en route for Washington, by way of Annapolis, 

— The Eighth, Sixtj^-ninth, and Thirteenth regiments of New 
York militia start for Washington. 

— Sherman's celebrated battery, consisting of ninety men 
and eight howitzers, passed through Philadelphia, Pa., on the 
route to Washington. The train containing the troops stopped 
in Market street, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth, Imme- 
diately the ladies of Benton street rushed out, and vied with 
^each other in their attention to the weary soldiers. Bread, 
meat, pies, and cakes, were brought forward in goodly supplies, 
hundreds of girls running with hot dinners just from the 
ranges ; bakers with baskets of bread and cakes ; fruiterers 
with baskets of apples, oranges, etc., were quickly upon the 
ground. The men said that they were thirsty, and in a trice 
there were a dozen pretty girls handing up cups of water. 
After the battery had been thu^ refreshed, a collection was 
taken up, and the soldiers were supplied with enough cigars 
and tobacco to last for some days. The military cheered con- 
tinually for the ladies of Philadelphia, and, as the train moved 
off, they gave nine hearty cheers for Philadelphia, the Union, 
the Constitution, and the success of the Federal arms in the 
South. 

April 24th, The New York Tw'enty-fifth regiment of militia 
sailed for Washino-ton. 

— An immense Union meeting was held in Detroit, over 
which General Cass presided. His speech was brief, but 
strongly loyal. He called upon all citizens to stand by the 
Administration. 

— The Faculty and students of the Brown High School, at 
Newbury port, Mass., raised the American flag near their school 
building, in presence of a large concourse of citizens. Patriotic 
speeches were made by Caleb Cushing, and othei's. 

April 25th. General Harney, on his way to Washington, 
was arrested by the Virginia authorities, at Harper's Ferrv- He 



b 



-80 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

left Wheeling, Virginia, for tlic purpose of reporting liimself at 
liead-quarters at Washington. Before tlie train reached Har- 
per's Ferry it was stopped, and a number of troops mounted 
the platforms; while tlic train was moving slowly on, the 
troops passed through the cars, and the General being pointed 
out, he was immediately taken into custody. 

— A deputation of twenty Indians, headed b}'- White Cloud, 
in belialf of the Sioux and Chippewas, arrived in New York 
They tender to the United States, in belialf of themselves and 
three hundred other Avarriors, their services against rebellion. 
Havin^" heard that the Cherokees had sided with the rebels, 
they could not remain neutral, and, with a promptness worthy 
of imitation in high quarters, have come to offer their services 
in defense of the Government. They ask to be armed and led. 

— A second detachment of Rhode Islanders arrived in New 
York, bound for Washington. The New York Herald said : 
"As a proof of the patriotic spirit which animates the citi- 
zens of Ithode Island, it may be mentioned that a man named 
William Dean, who lost one arm in the Mexican Avar, is now 
a volunteer in this corps, being willing to lose another limb in 
defense of the honor of his country. The noble fellow carries 
liis musket slung behind his back, but it is said when the hour 
comes for bloodier action he can use it with as good effect and 
expertness as if in possession of his natural appendages. The 
regiment also carries a flag which was borne through all the 
terrors of the Revolution. The uniform of the regiment is 
light and comfortable ; it consists of a blue flannel blouse, gray 
pants, and the army regulation hat. The volunteers bring 
along with them two very prepossessing young women, named 
Martha Francis and Katcy Brownell, both of Providence, who 
propose to act as ' daughters of the regiment,' after the French 
plan." 

— The N. Y. Seventh arrived at Washington to-da}^, and 
were welcomed with great demonstrations of joy. They were 
the first regiment to reach the Capital after the Massachusetts 
Six th. The Massachusetts Eigh th almost immediately followed 
the Seventh into the city. With these troops Washington 



OF THE WAR. 81 

was pronounced safe. From this date troops constantly 
poured into the capiial, by the Annapolis route. The route 
by Baltimore and the Northern Central railroad was not 
opened until May loth. 

• — Virginia transferred to the Southern Confederacy, by 
treaty between the State Convention and Mr. Stephens, Vice- 
President of the Confederate States. By this transaction the 
people were literall}^ "sold out of liouse and home." 

April 26th. A correspondent of a Boston journal, writing 
from the West, over which he was travelling, said of the feel- 
ing prevailing in that section : " The enthusiasm of the people 
at the West, in rallying for the defense of the Union, far ex- 
ceeds the expectations of the most sanguine. Throughout the 
entire North-west tlicre is a perfect unanimity of sentiment. 
Ten days ago, men who now cry, down with the rebels, were 
apologizing for the South — -justifying its action, and wishing 
it success. Every town in Illinois is mustering soldiei's, and 
many of the towns of five or six thousand inhabitants, have 
two and three companies ready for action. Companies are 
also formed for drill, so that, in case of need, they will be pre- 
pared to march at any moment. Money is poured out freely 
as water, and ladies unite in making shirts, blankets, and even 
coats and pants for the soldiers. Arrangements ha\e been 
made to take care of the families of the soldiers during their 
absence. All say, none shall fight the battles of their country 
at their own expense." 

— The bridges over Gunpowder River, on the Philadelphia, 
Wilmington, and Baltimore Eailroad, were burned by the 
rebels of Baltimore. The bridge over Bush Eiver, on the 
same route, had been destroyed the evening previous. The 
mob still reigned in Baltimore, although the loyal press of 
the city represented that the " conservative" sentiment was 
growing. 

— The Seventh regiment of New York took the oath to sup 
port the Constitution of the United States, at the War Depart- 
ment, in Washington, to-day. Not a man hesitated The 
scene was most impressive. 



82 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

— Many Soutlicrn men, still in tlie emplo}'- of tlie Depart- 
ments, at Washington, refused to take the oath of allegiance. 
Thej all " resigned" and took their way South to give their 
services to the Slave States. 

April 27th. Great numbers of Virginians whose loyalty to 
the Constitution forbade them to sustain the high-handed 
tyranny of the State Convention, are passing North to escape 
persecution. The outrages perpetrated on the Unionists of 
that State are daily becoming more atrocious. The State is in 
possession of the Confederate forces, and the Secession cut- 
throats have it all their own way. The mob everywhere ap- 
propriate to their own use whatever they may fancy ; farmers 
are stopped on the road, their horses taken from them under 
the plea that they are for the defense of the South ; granaries 
are searched, and everything convertible for food for either 
man or beast, carried off. This has been practiced to such an 
extent that, along the northern border of Virginia, a reaction 
is taking place, and instructions are being sent from Western 
Maryland, to the Delegates at Annapolis, that if they vote for 
secession the people will hang them on their return home. The 
news of the unanimous sentiment of the North, the prompt 
and decisive action on the part of the State Governments in 
enlisting men, has strengthened the Union men of Western 
Maiyland and the border counties of Virginia. 

— The " New York Ladies' Relief Union" — one of the or- 
ganizations devised for centralizing the efforts of women in be- 
half of the Union cause — issue, to-day, their circular, setting 
forth the " importance of systematizing the earnest efforts now 
making by the women of New York for the supply of extra 
medical aid to the Federal army, through the present cam- 
paign." 

— Mr. Lincoln issues his supplementary proclamation, includ- 
ing the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina in the order of 
blockade, 

April 28th. The Dayh'jJit, the first steamer direct from New 
York, via Potomac, reached Washington at ten A. M. Many 
lights were out on the Virginia coast, and many buoys had 



OF THE WAR. 83 

been destroyed by the rebels. The Daylight came AA'ithout 
convoy. She liad no guns, except one howitzer, which Cap- 
tain Vicle obtained from the Pocahontas, at the mouth of the 
Potomac. Captain Viele and the one hundred and seventy- 
two recruits for the New York Seventh regiment, have the 
honor of the first passage up the Potomac. 

— The New York Fifth regiment of mihtia leaves to-day for 
Annapohs, in the British steam transport Kedar. This regi- 
ment, commanded by Colonel Schwartzwaelder, is composed 
almost entirely of Germans. 

April 29th. B. R Ilallett, of Boston, a leading man in the 
opposition party of Massachusetts, comes out strongly for the 
war, at a meeting of the Suffolk bar. 

— Great excitement in Tennessee, consequent on the seizure 
(April 26th) at Cairo, by the Federal forces, of the steamer 
Ifilbvan, laden with munitions of war. Governor Harris or- 
ders $75,000 in Tennessee bonds, and $5,000 in coin — all in 
possession of the United States Collector at Nashville, to be 
seized as a reprisal. 

— Grand military review in New Orleans, of troops prepared 
to march North. Thirty thousand people turnect out to wit- 
ness the pageant 

— Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves left New York for Annapolis. 
A grand demonstration was made by the New York city fire 
department in honor of their departure. One hundred thou- 
sand people were gathered in the route of their march to wit- 
ness the proceedings. 

April oOth. Persons from the South, residing in "Washing- 
ton, are warned to leave that city before its destruction by the 
Southern army. 

— The School-teachers of the Boston, Mass., schools, relin- 
quished a large portion of their salaries, to be applied, during 
the war, to patriotic purposes. 

— The New York Yacht Club offer the Government the use 
of all their craft for any service for which they may be fitted. 

— Governor Dennison, of Ohio, reports that, up to this 
date, 71,000 volunteers had offered to meet the President's 
5 



84 INCIDENTS A X 1) A N E C D T E S 

requisition for thirteen rcgiineiits. All regiments furnished 
hy the State, are picked men. Tlie same may be said of the 
offers made in other States. It is now kno\Yn that an anny of 
three hundred tliousand men eould be made up of volunteers 
from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio alone. 

Every church and public building in New York, Phila- 
delphia and Boston, is surmounted by the American flag. 
Public buildings generally throughout the North arc thus 
decorated. The demand for bunting is so great, that the sup- 
ply is exhausted, and flags are being made out of all kinds of 
materials of the proper color. 

— The Twenty-eighth regiment of New Yor]c militia leaves 
Brooklyn for the seat of war. It is composed of the best class 
of German citizens — man}'- men of wealth being in the ranks. 
It is commanded by Colonel Burnett. The streets were 
thronged to witness its departure. 

— The Tlai-vard University Medical School adopt a resolu- 
tion, viz. : " That we, the members of the Harvard Medical 
School, do here and now resol\-e ourselves into a volunteer 
medical corps, and as such do hereby tender our services to 
the Governor of this Commonwealth, to act in behalf of this 
State or countrj^, in whatever capacity we may be ngcdcd. 

— The contributions of cities, individuals. Legislatures, banks, 
etc., up to this date, to the patriotic fund, are estimated to ex- 
ceed twentj-'cight millions of dollar.?. Government finds its 
soldiers literally made to order — taking the field armed and 
equipped, through the patronage and care of the localities from 
"which the companies and regiments came. 

This will end our Diary of Events, occurring in the brief 
space of fifteen days. What a record ! The world never read 
its like. It will be read b}- our descendants with astonishment. 
Let us preserve the memory of these days to ins])ire our ardor, 
to strengthen our faith, to deepen our love for the Union, tho 
Constitution and the Laws ! 



II. 

THE NEW NATION. 

Men awakened on tlie morning of April 14tli to enter upon 

the New Era of the Republic. The hour of trial had come. 
The people of the North were to say if the Union should sur- 
vive or perish — if the " Great Democratic Experiment" should 
ignominiously fail, or should assert its true nobility by show- 
ing a consolidated front to revolution and disorganization. 
The guns which ojjened upon Sumter were aimed at the Na- 
tional heart, which the fortress typified in its silent grandeur 
as it lay away off in the waters, not to be awakened until as- 
sailed. Would the Nation protect its heart ? It needed only 
such an assault to Send the blood bounding through every 
loyal bosom ; and the cry " TO ARMS !" which flew over the 
land, answered for the people. Rent into factions, divided in 
sentiment, antagonistic in personal interests, absorbed in 
schemes of gain, they had seemingly lived at open varianca 
As " Republicans," " Democrats," " Unionists," " Conserva- 
tives," "Abolitionists," "Pro-Slavery" and "Anti -Slavery" 
Extensionists, they had harbored bitter differences ; but, these 
all melted away in that night when Major Anderson slept in 
his battered fortress, defeated in the defense of his assailed 
flag ; and the people awoke on the morning of Sumter's evac- 
uation to a new life — the New Nation was born. All partisan 
differences, all local antipathies, all personal dislikes, were 
buried, and over their gi-ave arose the resurrected patriotism 
which had too long slumbered. Sumter lost but Freedom 
won when the madmen put the Union on its trial. 

We cannot better convey an idea of the astonishing change 



36 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

that came over tlie people tlian to recur to the utterances of 
the press chronicling the events of those hours, so potent with 
great results to the country. 

The New York Herald, up to the hour of Sumter's bom- 
bardment, was inimical to the Administration, and strongly in 
favor of concessions to the South. After that event, its right 
hand of fellowship was withdrawn, and, with the common sen- 
timent of the North, it declared for a vigorous policy against 
the revolutionists, saying : " Whatever opinions may have 
prevailed, and whatever views of expediency may have been 
advocated, hitherto, there is clearly no other course for Gov- 
ernment to pursue now, than to ' retake the places and prop- 
erties' that have been seized and occupied, in the Southern 
States. Upon this point, the people of the Northern and 
Western States will be nearly a unit. As a consequence, past 
organizations and platforms are virtually swept away, and 
none of the issues remain of present importance which recently 
agitated the public mind. * * The time for undue excite- 
ment has passed. The passing events of each hour are so so- 
lemn, that every pulse should beat equably, and every aspi- 
ration be for a speedy restoration of the Republic to peace, 
and its pristine unity and greatness. The utmost unanimity 
of feeling should prevail in sustaining the only policy which is 
any longer practicable ; and every nerve should be strained 
to aid the Government in rendering its measures as efficient 
as possible." 

The Boston Post, the organ of the Breckenridge Democracy, 
sent forth this clarion call : " The uprising is tremendous ; and 
well would it be for each good citizen. South and North, to 
feel this invasion of the public order at Fort Sumtor as his 
own personal concern. In reality it is so. There is left no 
choice but between a support of the Government and anarchy I 
The rising shows that this is the feeling. The Proclamation 
calls for seventy-five thousand men ; and from one State filone, 
Pennsylvania, a hundred thousand are at the President'? com- 
mand at forty-eight hours' notice ! Nor is this all. Capital- 
ists stand ready to tender millions upon millions of monej to 



OF THE WAR. 37 

sustain the grand Government of the Fathers. Thus the civ- 
ilized world will see the mighty energy of a free people, sup- 
plying in full measure the sinews of war, men and money, out 
of loyalty to the supremacy of law. Patriotic citizen ! choose 
you which you will serve, the world's best hope, our noble 
Republican Government, or that bottomless pit, social anarchy. 
Adjourn other issues until this self-preserving issue is settled." 

The Philadelphia Inqidrer (Opposition) spoke as well. It 
said : " ' Take your places in line.' The American flag trails 
in the dust There is from this hour no longer any middle 
or neutral ground to occupy. All party lines cease. Demo- 
crats, Whigs, Americans, Kepublicans and Union men, all 
merge into one or two parties — patriots or traitors. For our- 
selves, we are not prepared for either or any form of govern- 
ment which the imagination might suggest as possible or 
probable to follow in the wake of a republic. We are for the 
Government as handed down to us by our fathers. It was 
consecrated in blood, and given to us as a sacred legacy. It 
is ours to live by, and, by the blessing of God, it shall be ours 
to die by. We will have it and none other. We have no 
political feuds or animosities to avenge ; we know no cause 
save to wipe an insult from our flag, and to defend and main- 
tain an assailed Government and a violated Constitution. We 
care not who is President, or what political party is in power ; 
so long as they support the honor and the flag of our country, 
we are with them ; those who are not, are against us — against 
our flag — and against our Government ' Take your places 
in line !' " 

The New York Times correctly stated the facts and hopes 
of the hour in its issue of April 16th. It said : " The inci- 
dents of the last two days will live in historj'-. Not for fifty 
years has such a spectacle been seen, as that glorious uprising 
of American loyalty which greeted the news that open war 
had been commenced upon the Constitution and Government 
of the United States. The great heart of the American peo- 
ple beat with one high pulsation of courage, and of fervid love 
and devotion to the great Eepublic. Party dissensions were 



S8 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

instantly Imsliecl ; political differences disappeared, and were 
as tlioronghly forgotten as if they had never existed ; party 
bonds flashed into nothingness in the glowing flame of patriot- 
ism ; men ceased to think of themselves or their parties — they 
thoiiglit only of their country and of the dangers which men- 
aced its existence. Nothing for years has brought the hearts 
of all the people so close together, or so insjjired them all with 
common hopes, and common fears, and a common aim, as the 
bombardment and surrender of an American fortress. 

" We look upon this sublime outburst of public sentiment 
as the most perfect vindication of popular institutions — the 
most conclusive reply to the impugners of American loyalty, 
the country has ever seen. It has been quite common to say 
that such a Republic as ours could never be permanent, be- 
cause it lacked the conditions of a profound and abiding loy- 
alty. The Government could never inspire a patriotic instinct, 
fervid enough to melt the bonds of party,, or powerful enougb 
to override the selfishness which free institutions so rapidly 
develop. The hearts of our own people had begun to sink 
within them, at the apparent insensibility of the public, to the 
dangers which menaced the Government. The public mind 
seemed to have been demoralized — the public heart seemed 
insensible to perils which threatened utter extinction to our 
great Eepublic. The secession movement, infinitely the most 
formidable danger which has ever menaced our Government, 
•was regarded with indifference, and treated as merely a novel 
form of our usual political contentions. The best among us 
began to despair of a country which seemed incompetent to 
understand its dangers, and indifferent to its own destruction. 

"But all this is changed. The cannon which bombarded 
Sumter awoke strange echoes, and touched forgotten chords in 
the American heart. American Loyalty leaped into instant 
life, and stood radiant and ready for the fierce encounter. 
From one end of the land to the other — in the crowded streets 
of cities, and in the solitude of the country — wherever the 
splendor of the Stars and Stripes, the glittering emblems of 
our country's glory, meets the eye, come forth, shouts of devo- 



OF THE WAR. 39 

tion and pledges of aid, wliicli give sure guarantees for the 
perpetuity of American Freedom. War can inflict no scars on 
such a people. It can do them no damage which time cannot 
repair. It cannot shake the solid foundations of their material 
prosperity — while it will strengthen the manly and heroic vir- 
tues, which defy its fierce and frowning front 

" It is a mistake to suppose that war — even Civil "War — is 
the greatest evil that can afflict a nation. The proudest and 
noblest nations on the earth have the oftenest felt its fury, and 
have risen the stronger, because the braver, from its over- 
whelming wrath, * AVar is a far less evil than degradation — 
than the national and social jDaralysis which can neither feel a 
wound nor redress a wrong. When War becomes the only 
means of sustaining a nation's honor, and of vindicating its 
just and rightfid supremacy, it ceases to be an evil, and be- 
comes the. source of actual and positive good. If we are 
doomed to assert the rightful supremacy of our Constitution 
by force of arms, against those who would overthrow and de- 
stroy it, we shall grow the stronger and the nobler by the veiy 
contest we are compelled to wage. 

" We have reason to exult in the noble demonstration of 
American loyalty, which the events of the last few days have 
called forth from every quarter of the country. Millions of 
freemen rally with exulting hearts, around our country's stand- 
ard. The gTcat body of our people have but one heart and 
one purpose in this great crisis of our history. Whatever may 
be the character of the contest, we have no fears or misgivings 
as to the final issue." 

Particularly referring to the unanimity of the political lead- 
ers in support of the Administration, the New York Courier 
and Inquirer of May 2d, said : " Yv^e have all witnessed the 
sudden transformation of the scene-painter's art — a whistle, a 
creak of a wheel, and in place of a cottage, a palace ! — a sigh- 
ing maiden is followed by an exultant conqueror ; and seeing 
these delusions of the canvas, we have accustomed ourselves 
to look upon it as a trick of the drama, and never in oui* ex- 
perience to be paralleled by the actual We are to see all 



40 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Strange things in tlie nineteenth century, and of the very 
strangest is the sudden change of a Northern people from a 
race of quiet, patient, much-enduring, calm, ' consistent mem- 
bers of the Peace Society,' willing to compromise to the last 
possible interpolation of the Constitution, to a gathering of 
armed men, backing up courage by cash, and coming together 
with a union of the purse and the sword, which is to be one 
of the most remarkable chapters that history ever wrote. 

" The Macaulay of American annals will record that in one 
brief, earnest, intense ten of days, the chain of party melted ; 
the organization of party shivered ; the leaders of opposing 
opinions were as brethren ; — Seward, Douglas, Dix, even Caleb 
Cushing, wrote a full acquittance of past political strife, and 
declared that the life of their political doctrine was the preser- 
vation of the country's honor. Who shall ever despair of a 
nation after this ? If from our quarrels, our pale copipromises, 
our bondage to the exchange and to the warehouse, from all 
the indolence of prosperity, such a transformation to the camp 
of a brave and united soldiery, a close and compact counsel — 
the purse inverted over the soldier's needs — the struggle who 
shall quickest forget his party watch-word, and learn that of 
the line of battle — if this new life has thus sprung, the philos- 
opher of history must learn of us new ideas of the power of a 
free people. 

" The Ke volution of 1776 witnessed no such union. More 
families left New York and her sister colonies, because they 
would not show steel to King George, (and that when New 
York had population only of thousands where it now has hun- 
dreds of thousands,) than have now suggested doubts of our 
right from all the vast numbers of the Northern States. "We 
cannot even jet realize the change these ten days have 
wrought. We are like those who bring all their valuables to 
the lire of the furnace, and recast the compound. That pro- 
cess is now in our midst. Does any man suppose we are to 
be fused in just such party shape again? Differ we shall — 
but the gold has been tried, and the great fact established, that 
those dwelling in the Northern States have that devotion to 



OF THE WAIL. 41 

the coimtiy at wliose call the mother gives her son to the 
battle, the capitalist his treasure to the cause, and men blend 
as a Nation. Were we ever a Nation "before ? 

" All lineages — the Mayflower man iS in the front rank only 
to be met in line by those who look back to Delft Haven. I 
have found the warmest thought and act in those who but a 
month since were doubtful of the patriotism of those of us who 
could not see the merit of 'compromise,' The voice of Ed- 
ward Everett rings out its call to arms — the men who have 
risked to offend the North by their ultra Southern views, have 
thrown all aside as the call for Union for the country's honor 
reached tliem." 

Thus it was that the New Nation spi^ang into existence, to 
redeem the 23ast and plant anew the tree of Liberty and Union, 
which the conspirators had so nearly torn up and shattered. 



III. 

THE M USTERINd. 

"Who shall tell the story of the gathering of those who flew 
to arms at the call ?' Every company of those first forward 
has its chapter of incidents lionorable to its patriotic devotion 
and creditable to its intelligence. Every regiment lias its re- 
cord of patriotism and self-sacrifice, for in its ranks stood those 
whom no mercenary motive had impelled to arms. Doctors, 
lawyers, merchants, students, mechanics, were there — all -de- 
serting business and home to encounter the toils, privations, 
sufferings, and dangers of military service. The Massachusetts, 
New Yorlc, and Rhode Island militia regiments which were 
iirst ready, and, in a few days, were on the way to Washington, 
were <X)mposed almost entirely of citizens of the most respect- 
6 



42 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

able cliaracter — men, whose intelligence and social standing 
rendered them eminently fit to become the guardians of the 
Capital and pioneers of the immense host to follow. How 
their sonls must have scorned the fcie who called them 
"menials," "mercenaries," "hirelings," "Hessians!"* The 
press of the South almost generally resorted to such epithets, 
and sedulously sought to disseminate the idea that the Northern 
volunteei"S were drawn from the lowest classes. Thus the 
Mobile Advertiser characterized them, and welcomed them to 
Southern graves : 

"These volunteers are men who prefer enlisting to starvation; 
scurvy fellows from the back slums of cities, whom Falstaff would not 
have marched through Coventry with ; but these recruits are not sol- 
diers — least of all the soldiers to meet the hot-blooded, thorough bred, 
impetuous men of the South. Trencher soldiers, who enlisted to war 
ujjon their rations, not on men ; they are such as marched through 
Baltimore — squalid, wretched, ragged, and half-naked — as the news- 
papers of that city report them. Fellows who do no^ know tlie breech 
of a musket from its muzzle, and had rather filch a handkej'chief than 
fight an enemy in manly combat. White-slaves, peddling wretches, 
email-change knaves, and vagrants, the dregs and oftscourings of the 
populace; these are the levied 'forces' whom Lincoln suddenly arrays 
as candidates for the honor of being slaughtered by gentlemen — such as 
Mobile sent to battle. Let them come South, and we will j^ut our ne- 
groes to the dirty work of killing them. But they will not come South. 
Not a wretch of them will live on this side of the border, longer than 
it will take us to reach the ground and drive them off." 

Under the chapter head " The Spirit of the South," we shall 
give further evidences of that malignancy of the Southern heart 
which was one of the prime causes of the Rebellion : — the 
above extract we introduce to show, at this point what a differ- 
ence there was between the North and South, as exemplified 
in the relative spirit and character of their volunteers. 

Adjutant-General Schouler, of Massachusetts, in his Eeport 

* Private Moses Jenkins, of the Rhode Island First, was worth one 
million dollars. Others in the same regiment were worth tlieir tens 
of thousands. Mr. Jenkins had arranged for a tour to Europe, and 
had purchased his ticket. At the call he tore up his ticket aud fol- 
lowed his regiment. 



OP THE WAR. 43 

for 1861, referred to some of tlie incidents illustrative of tlie 
alacrity with wliicli tlie men came to the first call. He said : 
" The first call for troops was by a telegram from Senator Wil- 
son, dated at Washington, April 15th, requesting twenty com- 
panies to be sent immediately to Washington, and there 
mustei-ed into service. * * * This order was 
sent b}^ mail and by special messengers to the Colonels, who 
severally resided at Lowell, Quincy, New Bedford, and Lynn, 
The companies were scattered through the cities and towns of 
Plymouth, Bristol, Norfolk, Essex, and Middlesex counties. 

"i?i obedience to orders^ nearly everrj compamj in the cd)ove 
regiments arrived in Boston the next day. The first were three 
infantry companies from Marblehead, under Captains Martin, 
Phillips, and Boardman. They arrived at the Eastern depot 
at nine o'clock A. jr., and were welcomed by a large multitude 
of peojDle, who cheered the gallant and devoted men as they 
marched to their quarters at Faneuil Hall, through rain and 
sleet, to the music of ' Yankee Doodle.' During the entire 
day the troops arrived at Boston by the different raih'oad 
trains. 

" Captain Pratt, in command of the Worcester company, 
received his order to join the Sixth regiment late in the after- 
noon of the 16th, and he was in Boston with his full command 
early on the morning of the 17th. It was nine o'clock in the 
evening of the 16th before ^^our Excellency decided to attach 
the commands of Captains Sampson and Dike to the Sixth 
regiment. A messenger was dispatched to Stoncham, with 
orders for Captain Dike. He reported to me at eight o'clock 
the next morning, that he found Captain Dike at his house in 
Stoneham, at two o'clock in the morning, and placed your 
Excellenc3''s orders in his hands ; that he read them, and said : 
* Tell the Adj utant-General that I shall be at the State House 
with my full company by eleven o'clock to-day.' True to his 
word, he reported at the time, and that afternoon, attaclu^l to 
the Sixth., the company left for AVashington. Two days after- 
ward, on the 19th of April, during that gallant march througli 
Baltimore, which is now a matter of history, Captain Diko 



44 INCIDEN'TS AND ANECDOTES 

was shot down wlille leading his company through the mob. 
Several of his command were killed and wounded, and he 
received a wound in the leg, which will render him a cripple 
for life." 

The spirit of New York loyalty was betrayed in the eager 
attention given by all classes to the mustering and movements 
of the regiments. The New York Seventh, chiefly composed 
of the young men of wealthy families, volunteered to go on to 
"Washington and remain there one month, or longer if neces- 
sary for the safety of the Capital. It left the city amidst the 
greatest excitement, Ap'il 19th. April 21st, it was followed by 
the New York Seventy -first. Twelfth, and Sixth regiments, aU 
of the organized State militia, which volunteered as regiments, 
for the three months service. The Sixty-ninth, Eighth, and 
Thirteenth, started forward April 23d. It was thus the Em- 
pire State answered, with her choice troops, the first calls for 
aid. The departure of the regiments, by transports, April 
21st, (Sunday,) was accompanied by such popular manifesta- 
tions, as to be worthy of record. From the report prepared 
for the press we gather these paragraphs : 

" The usual quiet of our city on the Sabbath-day was broken 
at an early hour, yesterday, with the note of preparation for 
the departure of the Sixth, Twelfth, and Seventy-first regi- 
ments, to whom orders had been issued on the day previous. 
The flags that had the day before been thrown to the breeze 
were generally still flying, and squads of recruits, with drum 
and fife, paraded the streets for an early airing. Officers in 
undress uniform may be seen, with an air of business, hurrying 
in different directions ; and the chimes of Old Trinity mingled 
with the boom of cannon fired in the Park, By nine o'clock 
the multitudes began to swarm the streets, and Broadway bade 
fair to furnish a repetition of the patriotic scene of the day pre- 
vious. The Sunday papers, in consequence of the surveillance 
under which the telegraph had passed, did not contain the 
gossiping dispatches which the public have so long been accus- 
tomed to find. In this respect there was a void. 

" The Armories presented an animated scene. In front of 



OFTHEWAR. 45 

them the streets were filled with the patriotic masses, and the 
police experienced difficulty in keeping a passage open for the 
insi'ess and eo-ress of those who were entitled to enter. None 
were allowed inside but members of the corps, their immediate 
friends, or those in some way connected with their movements, 
and the reporters. Inside all was business and bustle, not to 
any confusion. Here and there were mothers and sisters part- 
ing with sons and brothers, or with motherly and sisterly interest 
were engaged in assisting to arrange the blankets and pack the 
soldier's limited baggage, to which there was certain to be 
added some memento or other thing that relates to his comfort 
and welfare. Words of patriotic encouragement and tenderest 
affection were spoken at leave-takings. But these had gene- 
rally been spoken at home, where we could not penetrate, 
though we might recite many a touching scene, where parents 
gave up their sons, and wives their husbands to serve their 
country. 

" It was shortly after ten o'clock when the regiments began 
to form on Bond street, leading to Broadway. Hither the 
people had thronged in immense numbers, and what was 
among the noticeable things, was the presence in that vicinity 
and down Broadway, of some fifteen or twenty Fire Engines, 
and Hook and Ladder Companies, including two Steam Engines. 
It was appropriate, for hundreds of those about to leave have 
long served in the Department, or at least, in the expressive 
parlance of the day, have ' run with the machine' many a 
year. In the hour that elapsed, the crowd in Broadway 
swelled to the large proportions which we are accustomed to 
see only on great occasions. At the junction with Canal street, 
it was the largest, because the Sixth regiment would at this 
point leave Broadway, and proceed to the Baltic^ at the foot of 
Canal street While waiting for its appearance, ' The Star- 
Spangled Banner,' 'Hail Columbia,' ^Eed, White and Blue,' 
and other similar airs, were sung by thousands of voices. 

" It was about twelve o'clock when the Sixth regiment moved 
from their armory down Broadway. It was the signal for the 
wildest outburst. The shouts and cheers which rose from the 



4Q INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES, 

multitude at the junction of these two streets, were caught up 
and prolonged almost the whole length of Broadway. At eveiy 
step the soldiers were greeted with the wildest demonstrations^ 
not only from the people that lined the streets, but from the 
windows and the roofs of buildings on the route. More than 
once a mother darted from tlie crowd, and in spite of police or 
other restraints, gave her son a parting kiss — only one — for 
the column moved on, and the boy was a soldier now, bound 
for the seat of war, and there was no such thing as stopping. 
Discipline could not restrain adieus between old fi-iends, who 
would shake hands, and give and take hastily spoken but 
hearty good-byes. The Twelfth and Seventy-first regiments 
followed, when there was a repetition of the scenes of the 
previous half-hour. 

" So CTcat was the throne: in Canal street that it was with 
the greatest diificulty that the police force could clear the way 
for the Sixth to pass. The crowd was entirely good-natured, 
but enthusiastic, and determined to extend its greetings to the 
soldiers from a position as close as they could assume. The 
Sixth was accompanied by several files of citizens as an escort, 
but the multitude mistook all in citizens' clothes for volun- 
teers, and cheered them tremendously. At the foot of Canal 
street there were thousands of ladies congregated — the windows 
and roofs of the houses commanding a view of the pier teem- 
ing with crinoline and female apparel. Monahan's band, which 
headed the regiment, here struck up that favorite soldier's air, 
' The Girl I left behind me,' which was received with tremen- 
dous cheering and waving of hats and handkerchiefs. 

" Arriving on the covered pier, the regiment was marched 
on board the Baltic^ taking position on the upper deck. Then 
came the order, ' All who are not going to fight, ashore ;' the 
last farewell was hastily spoken ; hands which might never 
be clasped again were clasped for a parting shake, and a stamp 
for the gang plank followed. But the vessel sailed not ; and 
as the quarter-hours succeeded each other, the crowd on the 
piers, sheds and contiguous vessels, began to gi'ow impatient 
Gradually they began to depart, confident that some misman- 



OF THE W A K. 47 

agenient woiild prevent tlie sailing of tlie Baltic for some 
Lours. Still hundreds of people lingered, anxious to wave 
tlieir lints after tlie departing regiment, but tlieir patience was 
rapidly becoming exhausted when the announcement came 
that the Twelfth regiment was soon expected to arrive. This 
brought the multitude back in such numbers that for a time 
the efforts of the police to keep a passage clear were unavail- 
ing. The glitter of bayonets was soon seen in Canal street, 
and the Twelfth regiment, accompanied by a cheering throng, 
approached Arriving at the gate leading to the pier at which 
the Baltic lay, the regiment halted for a quarter of an hour or 
more. This delay was improved by hundreds of persons to 
engage in conversation with departing friends, or to add the 
last item to their stock of comforts, not to mention luxuries. 
Cigars and tobacco were freely distributed among the recruits, 
most of whom appeared with no other uniform than knap- 
sacks, belts, blankets, and muskets. One young man broke 
through the line of policemen, and forcibly seizing a young 
recruit, attempted to drag him away. The young soldier re- 
sisted, and the police interfered, when it appeared that the re- 
cruit was the only brother of the one who had seized him, and 
the latter contended that his brother was too young to become 
a soldier. The patriotic youth would not yield, however, and 
so, after a hasty and affectionate parting with his weeping bro- 
ther, he resumed his place in the line, and marched onward. 

" The Twelfth was eventually admitted on the pier, when the 
cause of the delay was made known. The mismanagement 
of some person in authority had got the two regiments most 
effectually mixed. It was intended that the Twelfth regiment 
should sail by the Baltic^ and their baggage had accordingly 
been stowed in the hold of that vessel. The Sixth regiment 
received orders to march to the Baltic, and they complied im- 
mediately by taking possession of the ship. The consequence 
was, that the members of the Twelfth regiment were foi'ccd to 
dispose themselves as best they could among the bales of hay 
and other freight on the pier. Many of these soldiers were 
worn out with the fatigue of preparation, and had contemplated 



48 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

a good rest on shipboard, but in tliis they were mistaken. 
Added to the discomfort of their standing for hours on the 
pier, most of them had partaken of an early breakfast, and the 
pangs of hunger began to be seriously felt. From one o'clock 
to four they thus waited, with no place to rest and nothing to 
eat, surrounded by a curious and constantly moving crowd, 
when an attempt was made to comfort their inner individuals 
by a supply of food from the stores of the ship. Slices of 
bread and meat were brought, but the demand outrun the 
supply, and caused much scrambling among the recruits. 
Much disappointment was felt when it became known that the 
steamer Ariel would necessarily receive the Sixth regiment, 
and that consequently the soldiers would not leave until after 
dark. Still the crowd would not disperse. With short inter- 
vals for refreshments, they remained at their posts, and only 
dispersed when the steamers were fairly under weigh. 

" The Seventy-first regiment, after marching down Broad- 
way, turned toward the North River, and went through Albany 
street to Pier No. 12. The route was lined up to this place, 
where an immense crowd had gathered, which increased every 
moment. As the main part of the regi.ment were in the act 
of embarkation, the recruits which brought up the rear be- 
came the special object of attention from the crowd. Most of 
them had only muskets, some being old and rusty, and none 
of the recruits had yet put on the soldier's uniform. Some 
wore slouch hats, some ' plug' hats, some roundabouts, some 
peajackets, some had Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, and some 
looked as if they had recently left the workshop. This im- 
promtu appearance of the recruits, who numbered nearly half 
of the regiment, gave an aspect of earnestness to the cause. 
Enthusiasm burst forth in a continuous yell, which did not 
subside until the troops had left the streets. After this the 
crowd continued to look on until the B. B. Cuyler hauled oat 
into the stream. 

" The cheering on board the Cuyler was frequently respond- 
ed to by a thousand . Ehode Islanders on board the Empire 
State. The latter arrived in the harbor on Saturday night, and 



OF THE WAK. 49 

were ancTiored in tlie North River, off Jay street. Their red 
uniforms could be distinctly observed from the piers, where 
hundreds of people gathered as early as the day dawned. 
Dui'iiig the day, the Rhode Island Regimental Band fi-om time 
to time played national airs, and at five o'clock the troops were 
transferred aboard the steamer Coatzacoalcos, wliich, until then, 
had been getting ready at the foot of Warren street." 

What a Sabbath day's spectacle ! Yet it was heightened 
by the stirring on the wdiai-ves and on the water of the trans- 
ports loading for the South with the materiel of war, stores, 
&c. The press reported as follows of the steamers under orders 
on that day : 

" West street witnessed such a scene as will not probably be 
often repeated within a century. In addition to the excite- 
ment caused by the departure of three regiments of New York 
troops, the presence of one regiment of Rhode Island troops, 
and the arrival in the evening of another regiment of Massa- 
chusetts troops, the usual quiet of Sunday was encroached 
upon by the occasional blowing and smoking of at least a 
dozen large ocean steamers, which had been quietly freighted, 
and were now gradually waking up their gigantic powers to 
depart hence in concert, on a most important mission. A stroll 
along W^est street was sufiicient to find out that the following 
steamers (and there may have been more) were about to de- 
part under Government orders : 

" The Ariel, Pier No. 8, had steam np, and was making 
much noise. She had been taking on provisions and stores 
for some days. An inquisitive crowd gathered here at six 
o'clock in the morning, and continued throughout the day. 
Id the afternoon a squad of Metropolitan Policemen were sent 
to the spot, to keep order on the arrival of troops from Massa- 
chusetts by the Fall River steamboat. 

" At the next pier. No. 4, was the Columbia, the vessel, until 
recently, of the notorious traitor Captain Berry, who, it is said, 
is not an American, but an Englishman, and a Secessionist 
because he is unprincipled. She had steam up at 4 P. M. 
Dui'ing Saturday night workmen were engaged on her all 
7 



60 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

night Tlie Marion was at the same pier ready for departure, 
and had steam up at four o'cfock, 

" The James Adger was at the stern of the Marion, with 
steam up, some 23eople aboard, and also ready for departure, 
as it aj^peared. Crowds of people were gathered along these 
steamers, and at some places on the decks and rigging of sail- 
ing craft in the docks and near by. 

" The R. R. Cuyler which took the Seventy-first regiment 
on board, was at pier No. 12. She lay in the stream after 
three o'clock. 

" Several of Mitchill's Line of Southern steamers, lying at 
pier No. 80, have also been chartered. The Star of lite South, 
the Alabama and the Augusta are the ones. They did not 
have steam up yesterday, as they were not to depart until 
Monday or Tuesday. 

" The Coatzacoalcos was at the foot of Warren street, and 
had steam up. She went out to the Eminre Slate at 6 P. M. 
The De Soto, one of the New Orleans steamers, at the next pier 
south of the Coatzacoalcos, was staxming up with much noise 
as if about to sail, at 4 P. M. 

" The propeller Cliesapealce, of the Savannah line, got steaui 
up yesterday afternoon, and went out into the stream, but soon 
after returned to her berth, where she remained until night 
The propeller Parhershurg, of the same line and pier, had steam 
up at the same time. 

" The propeller Monticello, of the Alexandria and ^Vashing- 
ton line, had steam U23 and was freighted with large quantities 
of war material, such as muskets, brass field pieces of improv- 
ed manufacture, grape-shot for very large guns, and large piles 
of boxes and bundles, the contents of which were unknown. 

" Adding considerably to the martial bustle, was the stated 
firing of guns from the several transport vessels having troops 
on board." 

Thia was but the opening of the Crusade for the restoration 
of the Union which followed. It was a sublime prelude to a 
sublime tragedy — one at Avhich the generation stood aghast, 
but one of those which, since the world began, has initiated 
all great political and social changes. 



IV. 

THE rOETS. 

No history of the Great Struggle will bo complete that does 
not recur to the part which the poets of the land took in 
stirring the popular heart. City and country j^ress teemed 
"with lyrics and invocations, well calculated to awaken enthu 
siasm in the popular cause. The occasion called foLi'th many 
fine composition?, well worthy of preservation — some of which 
will, indeed, find their way into our permanent literature. 
Patriotism found in the poet-heart a full and deep response ; 
and the future will draw upon the poems of the spring of 
1861 when it would refresh its love of country and its faith 
in the Eight. AVe give a few of those which seem to us to 
possess a permanent interest. 

This Sonnet, from the pen of William H. Burleigh, gives 

admirable exjiression to the sense of relief felt by the nation 

at the end of the suspense regarding the course to be pursued 

in the crisis : 

APRIL 15TH, 1861. 

Thank God ! the Free North is awake at last I 
When burning cannon-shot and bursting shell, 
As, from, the reel mouth of some volcan's hell, 

Rained on tlevoted Sumter thick and fast, 

The sleep of ages from her eyelids past. 

One bound- -and lo ! she stands erect and tall, 
"While Freedom's hosts come trooping to her call, 

Like eager warriors to the trumpet's blast ! 

Wo ! to the traitors and their robber horde ! 
Wo ! to the spoilers that jiollute the land ! 
When a roused Natios, terrible and grand, 

Grasps, in a holy cause, th' avenging sword, 

And swears, from Treason's bloody clutch to save 

The priceless heritage our fathers gave. 



52 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The "Alarum," by R H. Stodclerd, is a fine poem, brim- 
ming with that terse enthusiasm which characterizes all true 

war lyrics : 

Men of the North and "West, 

Wake in your might, 
Prepare, as the Rebels have done, 

For the fight : 
You can not shrinlc from the test, 
Rise ! Men of the North and West ! 

They have torn down your banner of stars ; 

They have tranii)led the laws; 
They have stifled the freedom they hate, 

For no cause ! 
Do you love it, or slavery best ? 
Speak ! Men of the North and West ! 

They strike at the life of the State- 
Shall the murder be done ? 

They cry, " We are two ! " And you? 
" We are one ! " 

You must meet them, then, breast to breast, 

On ! Men of the North and West ! 

Not "with words — they laugh them to scorn, 

And tears they desj^ise ; 
But, with swords in your hands, and death. 

In your eyes, 
Strike home ! leave to God all the rest, 
Strike ! ]\Ien of the North and West ! 

"A Northern Kall}^," by John Clancy, is significant. Com- 
ing, as it did, from a leading Democratic Editor, of New 
York City, who had long supported the cause of the South, 
it happily illustrates the feeling which moved such men to 

action : 

We've borne too long this Southern wrong, 

That ever sought to shame us ; 
The threat and boast, the braggart toast, 

" That Southern men would tame us." 
We've bent the knee to chivalry, 

Have borne the lie and scorning ; 
But now, thank God, our Northern blood 

lias roused itself from fawning. 



O F T n E ~ AV A R . 53 

The issue's made, our flag's displayed, 

Let lie who dare retard it ; 
No cowards here grow pale with fear, 

For Northern swords now guard it. 
The men that won at Lexington 

A name and fame in storj', 
Were patriot sires, who lit the fires 

To lead their sons to glory. 

Like rushing tide down mountain side. 

The Northern hosts are sweeping ; 
Each freeman's breast to meet the test 

With patriot blood is leaping. 
Now Southern sneer and bullies' leer, 

Will find swift vengeance meted ; 
For never yet since foemen met 

Have Northern men retreated. 

United now, no more we'll bow, 

Or supplicate, or reason ; 
'Twill be our shame and lasting blame 

If we consent to treason. 
Then in the fight our hearts unite, 

One purpose move us ever; 
No traitor hand divide our land, 

No power our country sever. 

A well-known lady writer gave to our literature this nobly 
conceived and finely rhythmed "Invocation." It is one of 
tliose compositions called forth only by moments of great 
public excitement, and may be referred to as indicative of 
the strong undercurrent of devotion to country which pos- 
sessed even the hearts of the women of the land : 

Oh, mother of a matchless race! 

Columbia, hear our cry ; 
The children nursed in your embrace, 

For you will live and die. 
We glory in our fathers' deeds, 

We love the soil they trod, 
Our heritage we will defend 

And keep — so help us God ! 
Rise, rise ! Oh, Patriots, rise I 

Let waiting millions see ! 



64 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

What courage tbrills, -what faith inspire* 
The Nation of the Free ! 

Hail ! brothers n\ a common cause I 

True to your birthright stand I 
The Constitution and the Laws 

Must know no Vandal hand. 
Let foreign foes invidious gaze 

To see our light expire ; 
They'll shrink in awe before the blaze 

Of Freedom's deathless fire. 

Hark ! how the hymns of glory swell 

Above our fathers' graves I 
The unfaltering men of Seventy-six 

Begot no race of slaves. 
The blood that bought our sacred right 

Still in their liuengc runs; 
No tribute gold, no traitor's might 

Shall wrest it from their sons. 

Shade of heroic Washington ! 

Still guard our Native Land ! 
Rebuke, rebuke each wavering one, 

Direct each ardent hand ! 
Oh, mother Of a matchless race ! 

Hear our united cry ! 
'Tis noble in your cause to live, 

And nobler still to die ! 

Charles G. Leland gave to the press the following resonant 
"Northerner's Call," set to the well-known German air, 
Burschen heraus ! 

Northmen, come out ! 
Forth unto battle with storm and shout \ 
Freedom calls you once again, 
To flag and fort and tented plain; 
Then come with drum and trump and song, 
And raise the war-cry Avild and strong : 

Northmen, come out I 

Northmen, come out ! 
The foe is waiting round about, 
" With paixhan, mortar and j^etard, ' 
To tender us their Beau-regard ; " . 



OF THE V/ A R. 55 

With shot and sbrapnell, grajie and sbeU 
We'll give them back the lire of helL 
Nortluueu, come out I 

Northmen, come out! 
Give tlie jjirates a roaring rout ; 
Out in your strength, and let them know 
How Working Men to Work can go ! 
Out in your might, and let them feel 
How Mudsills strike when edged with steel; 

Northmen, come out ! 

Nortlimen, come out ! 
Come like your grandsircs, stern and stout; > 
Though Cotton be of Kingly stock, 
Yet royal heads may reach the block, 
The Puritan taught it once in pain, 
His sous shall teach it once again; 

Northmen, come out ! 

Northmen, come out! 
Forth into battle with storm and shout! 
He who lives with victory 's blest, 
He Avho dies gains peaceful rest. 
Living or dying, let us be 
Still vowed to God and Liberty ! 

Northmen, come out ! 

Oliver Wendell Uolmes, after the burial of the Massachu- 
setts dead, killed by the mob at Baltimore, penned this adju- 
ration for the hour : 

Weavb no more silks, ye Lyons looms, 

To deck our girls for gay delights] 
The crimson flower of battle blooms, 

And solemn marches fill the nights. 

Weave but t)ae flag whose bars to-day 

Drooped heavy o'er our early dead, 
And homely garments, coarse and gray, 

For orphans that must earn their bread ! . 

Keep back your tunes, ye viols sweet, 
That pour delight from other lands ! 

Rouse there the dancer's restless feet— 
The trumpet leads our warrior bauds. 



56 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

And ye that wage the war of words 
With mystic fame and subtile powei', 

Go, chatter to tlie idle birds, 
Or teacli tljc lesson of the hour ! 



Ye Sibyl Arts, in one stern knot 

Be all your offices combined ! 
Stand close, while Cournge draws the lot, 

The destiny of humankind ! 

And if that destiny could fail. 

The sun should darken in the sky, 
The eternal bloom of Nature pale. 

And God, and Truth, and Freedom die ! 

There is in this fine poem an undertone of pathos, which 
makes it very touching in its sorro^Y : 

I I know the sun shines, and the lilacs are blowing, 

I And Summer sends kisses by beautiful May — 
Oh ! to see all the treasures the Spring is bestowing, 
And think — my boy Willie enlisted to-day ! 

It Eeetos but a day since at twiliglit, low humming, 
• I rocked him to sleep with his cheek upon mine. 
While Robby, the four-year old, watched for the coming > 
Of father, adowu the street's indistinct line. 

It is many a year since my Harry departed. 

To come back no more in the twiliglit or dawn ; 

And Robbj^ grew weary of w.atching, and started 
Alone, on the journey his father had gone. 

It is many a year — and, this afternoon, sitting 
At Robby's old window, I heard the band play, 

And suddenly ceased dreaming over my knitting, 
To recollect Willie is twenty to-day : 

And that, standing beside him this soft Jlay- day morning, 
The sun making gold of his Avrcr.thod cigar-smoke, 

I saw in his sweet eyes and lips a faint warning, 

And choaked down the tears when he eagerly spoke. 



OFTHEWAR. 67 

** Dear mother, you know liow those traitors are crowing, 
They trample the folds of our flag in the dust ; 

The boys are all fire ; and they wish I were going — " 
He stopped, but his eyes said, " Oh say if I must I" 

I smiled on the boy, though my heart it seemed breaking: 
My eyes tilled with tears, so I turned them away, 

And answered him, " Willie, 'tis well you are waking — 
Go, act as your father would bid you to-day 1" 

I sit in the window and see the flags flying, 

And dreamily list to the roll of the drum, 
And smother the pain in my heart that is lying, 

And bid all the fears in my bosom be dumb. 

I shall sit in the window when Summer is lying 

Out over the fields, and the honey-bees hum 
Lulls the rose at the porch from her tremulous sighing, 

And watch for the face of my darling to come. 

And if he should fell .... his jouug life he has given 
For Freedom's sweet sake .... and for me, I will pray 

Once more with my Hai'ry and Robby in heaven 
To meet the dear boy tiiat enlisted to-day. 

Tlie spirit of scorn at treason and liigli resolve to strike and 
spare not, rings out in these stirring stanzas, by Franklin 
Lusliington. It has in it the clang of the old Eoman's steeL 

No more words ; 

Try it with your swords ! 
Try it with the arms of your bravest and your best I 
You are proud of your manhood, now put it to the test : 

Not another word ; 

Try it by the sword 1 

No more notes : 

Try it by the throats 
Of the cannon that will roar till the earth and air be shaken ; 
For tlicy sjieak what they mean, and they can not be mistaken ; 

No more doubt ; 

Come — fight it out. 



58 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

No child's play 1 

Waste not a day ; 
Serve out the deadliest weapon you know ; 
Let them pitilessly hail in the faces of the foe ; 

No blind strife ; 

"Waste not one life. 

You that in the front 

Bear the battle's brunt — 
When the sun gleams at dawn on the bayonets abreast, 
Remember 'tis for Government and Country you contest ; 

For love of all you guard, 

Stand ftnd strike hard. 

You at home that stay, 

Prom danger far away, 
Leave not a jot to chance, while you rest in quiet ease; 
Quick ! forge the bolts of death ; quick! ship them o'er the seaS| 

If war's feet are lame, 

Yours will be the blame. 

You, my lads, abroad, 

" Steady I" be your word : 
You, at home, be the anchor of your soldiers young and brave • 
Spare not cost, none is lost, that may strengthen or may save ; 

Sloth were sin and shame ; 

Now play out the game. 

Bayard Taylor tlivis cliarmingly worded the incident which 
it commemorates, of the old soldier of 1812 pleading with 
General Scott for a place in the ranks : 

An old and crippled veteran to tlie War Department came. 
He sought the Chief who led him, on many a field of fame — 
The Chief wlio shouted " Forward !" wliere'er his banner rose, 
And bore his stars in triumph behind the flying foes. 

" Have you forgotten. General," the battered soldier cried, 
" The days of eighteen hundred twelve, when I was at your side f 
Have you forgotten Johnson, that fought at Lundy's Lane ? 
'Tis true I'm old, and pensioned, but I want to fight again," 

** Have I forgotten ?" said the Chief: " my brave old soldier. No ! 
And here's the hand I gave you then, and let it tell you so ; 
But you have done your share, my friend ; you're crippled, old, and grej, 
And we have need of younger arms and fresher blood to-day." 



OFTHEWAR. 59 

" But, General !" cried tlie veteran, a flush u^Don his brow ; 
" The very men who fought with us, tliey say, are traitors now ; 
They've torn tlie flag of Lundy's Lane, our old red, white, and blue, 
And while a droj) of blood is left, I'll show that drop is true. 

" I'm not so weak but I can strike, and I've a good old gun 
To get the range of traitors' hearts, and j^ick them, one by one. 
Your Minie rifles and such arms it ain't worth while to try : 
I couldn't get the hang o' them, but I'll kecjD my powder dry I" 

" God bless you, comrade 1" said the Chief — " God bless your loyal 

heart 1 
But younger men are in the field, and claim to have their part. 
They'll plant our sacred banner in each rebellious town, 
And Avoe, henceforth to any hand, that dares to pull it down I" 

" But, General!" — still persisting, the weeping veteran cried; 
" I'm young enough- to follow, so long as you're my guide : 
And some, you know, must bite the dust, and that, at least, can I j 
So, give the young ones place to fight, but me a place to die I 

" If they should fire on Pickens, let the Colonel in command 
Put me upon the rampart, with the flag-stafl:" in my hand ; 
No odds how hot the cannon-smoke, or how the shells may fly, 
I'll hold the Stars and Stripes aloft, and hold them till I die I 

" I'm ready. General, so you let a post to me be given, 

Where Washington can see me, as he looks from highest Heaven, 

And say to Putnam at his side, or, niay be. General Wayne ; 

' There stands old Billy Johnson, that fought at Lundy's Lane I* 

" And when the fight is hottest, before the traitors fly ; 

When shell and ball arc screeching, and bursting in the sky, 

If any shot should hit mo, and lay me on my face. 

My soul would go to Washington's, and not to Arnold's place I'* 



It was chronicled among the incidents illustrative of the 
spirit which prevailed at the South, tliat " a company of Con- 
, federate Horse Guards, at Memphis, lately took a United 
States flag and buried it in a grave in the earth, with appro- 
priate funeral ceremonies." Some poet adverted to the act in 
this poem, which strongly reminds the reader of Mrs. Brown* 
ing's numbers : 



60 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

So you've buried llic flag at Mempliis ? 

How many fathoius deep ? 
What seal did you set on the Stars and Stripes f 

And who that grave shall keep ? 

Alas for tlie dead at IMemphis 1 

Mere dust to dnst you bear ; 
No vision of Life all glorified, 

Of Love grown heavenly fair — 

No radiant dream, with a Christly sign, 

Of the Victor's living palm ; 
Of the odorous golden joy that dares 

Join Scrai^Iis in their psalm ! 

You never read, in a rich man's cave 
The Life of the world lay, slain ! 

And the mourning women went to w^atch, 
But found — where he had lain. 

Come, guess — who roU'd from his cave the rock I 

Who broke great Pilate's seal ? 
" While the soldiers slecj), and the women weep, 

Base luinds the Body stcaV 

Vain guess for knowledge ! Children dear, 

Not Death lay in that cave, 
But Living Love ! "While the world above 

Went wailing— "i>ieeZ to saveP'' 

Well — judge if Freedom's sacred sign 

Can molder under ground. 
With the march of a million men o'erhead, 

Their banners eagle-crowned ? 

From Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate 

A shout goes right and left; 
The aliens' dreamful watch is done — 

The sepulchcr is cleft. 

Weak hands ! Heap clay on the Stars of God 1 

They never shone before ! 
They rend the shroud, and they pierce the cloud, 

All hail, then, Thirty-Four ! 



OFTHEWAR. 61 

Nor should we omit tlie humor and satire wliicb. also flowed 
from tlie pens of those who scorned the traitors' and plun- 
derera' part. Punch came forward, from over the sea, with 
this terribly bitter — but who shall say inappropriate? — 
" National Hymn of the Confederate States" : 

When first tlic South, to fnry i^mnccl, 

Arose and l^roke the Union's chain, 
This was the Charter, tlie Charter of the land, 

And Mr, Davis sang the strain : 
Rule Slaveownia, Slavcownia rules, ;ind raves — 
*' Christians ever, ever, ever have had slaves." 

The Northerns, not so blest as thee, 

At Aby Lincoln's foot may fall. 
While thou shalt flourish, shalt flourish fierce and free 

The vi'hip, that makes the Nigger bawl. 
Rule Slaveownia, Slaveownia rules, and raves — 
" Christians ever, ever, ever should have slaves." 

Thou, dully savage, shalt despise 

Each freeman's argument, or joke ; 
Each law that Congress, that Congress thought so wise, 

Serves but to light thy pipes for smoke. 
Rule Slaveownia, Slavcownia rules, and raves — 
" Christians ever, ever, ever must have slaves." 

And Trade, that knows no God but gold, 

Shall to thy pirate ports repair ; 
Blest land, where flesh — where human flesh is sold. 

And manly arms may flog that air. 
Rule Slavcownia, Slaveownia I'ules, and raves — 
" Christians ever, ever, ever should have slaves." 



Jefferson Davis, in his Message at the opening of the extra 
session of the Confederate Congress, 1861, said among other 
remarkable things, that all the South wished was to he let alone. 
Some appreciative person, through the Hartford (Conn.) Gow 
rant, embodied the Secessionist's wishes in this effusion : 



62 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

As A'once I Talked liy a dismal swamp, 
There sot an Old Cove in the dark and damp, 
And at everybody that passed that road 
A stick or a stone this Old Cove throwed. 
And vcnever he flung his stick or his stone, 
He'd set ui? a song of " Let me alone." 

" Let me alone, for I loves to shy 

These bits of things at the passers by — 

Let me alone, for I've got your tin 

And lots of other traps snugly in — 

Let me alone, I'm riggin' a boat 

To grab votever you've got afloat — 

In a veek or so I expect to come 

And turn you out of your 'ousc and 'ome — 

I'm a quiet Old Cove, says he, with a groan : 

All I axes is — Let mc alone." 

Just then came along, on the self same way 
Another Old Cove, and l)egan for to say — 
" Let you alone I That 's comin' it strong ! — 
You've been let alone — a darned sight too long— 
Of all the sarce that ever I heerd ! 
Put down that stick ! (You may well look skcercd I) 
Let go that stone ! If you once show fight, 
I'll knock you higher than any kite. 
You must have a lesson to stop your tricks, 
And cure you of shying them stones and sticks, 
And I'll have my hardware back, and my cash, 
And knock your scow into tarnal smasii. 
And if ever I catches you 'round my ranch, 
I'll string you up to the nearest branch. 
The best you can do is to go to bed, 
And keep a decent tongue in your head ; 
For I reckon before you and I are done, 
You'll wish you had let honest folks alone." 

The Old Cove stopped, and the t'other Old CovQ, 
He sot quite still in his cypress grove, 
And he looked at his stick, revolvin' slow, 
Vether 'twere safe to shy it or no — 
And he grumbled on, in an injured tone, 
"All that I axed vos, let me alonej'' 



OFTHEWAR. 63 

To tlie ever-living Yankee Doodle tlie ■world owes mucli of 
its best humor. Southern dislilcc of *' the Yankees" did not 
s.erve to render the term any the less popular among the loy- 
alists. Hence we find a large number of songs to the good old 
" tune" which were re-echoed among the hills of much of the 
"sacred soil" by the Northern troops — so little respect had 
they for the prejudices of their enemies ! Early in the cam- 
paign against rebellion, the following '' Suggestions" were made 
by G. W. Westbrook : " ' ' 

Taukee Doodle's come again 

Among tlie sons of Gotliam — 
Not to see the gods and shows, 

But to sec the facts, and quote 'em. 

He heard of South Carolina's boast 

That Jonathan -vvas craven — 
That Cotton was the king of earth, 

And nothing else could save 'cm. 

But, Yankee Doodle says : " Dear sirs. 

You know not what's the matter — 
You see through glasses darkly smoked 

With error and tobackcrl 

" Your darkies plough, and hoc, and digj 

To raise your rice and cotton, 
And sugar, too, and cornstalks big, 

And many things forgotten. 

" You orter know that Yankees make 

Your cotton into muslin, 
And thread, and tape, and hosiery, 

And ladies' wear quite puzzlin', 

•' Besides, they make the canvas sheets 

That forms the wings of commerce, 
To take your schooners and your fleeta 

To every harbor on earth. • 

"They also make the canvas bags, 

And send them to the prairies 
Of Indhma, Illinois, , 

As the soil and climate varies. 



64 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

** To hold potatoes, corn, and oats, 

And wheat, and 170, and barley, 
And sometimes coal, and ice in boats, 

And coverings for the darkey. 

" They also take your rice in ships 

Built by the Yankee nation — 
From Charleston's docks and New York slips 

All over the creation. 

" Your sugar, too, the Yankees take- - 

Although they tap the maple, 
That produces matter saccharine, 

And forms a Yankee staple. 

"Tobacker, too, the Yankees chew. 

And smoke and snufi"in plenty — 
The ladies, too, if you only knew, 

Send to you by the twenty 

"For early fruits and early flowers, 

Before the North can raise 'em, 
To decorate their lovely bowers. 

Their sweethearts to amaze 'em. 

" Then why this strife ? like man and wife 

In a domestic quarrel — 
That after all must end with life. 

With no unfading laurel ? 

"Jonathan's advice, therefore, 

Is, peacefully be living, 
And kind and true to eveiy one, 

Forbearing and forgiving. 

" If you refuse to take this hint 

Intended for your favor. 
We'll show you how the cap and flint 

Will cause you much more labor." 

This icay suffice for cxiir lialflion-r wi-tk the Poets. The contributions of Mrs. 
Howe, Mrs. Whitman, Rose Terry, Miss Procto,-, Oliver Wendell Holmes, R. H. 
Stoddard, George U. Bolver, T. B. Read, Lowell, A. J. H. Duganne, Alice Gary, 
Bayard Taylor, Whittier, John Neal, Park Benjamin, were very noticeable for 
their spirit and strength. 



V. 

EAKLY INCIDENTS. 

"When one of the New York city regiments was mfircliing 
to tlie steamer, a young man, who had risen from a sick bed 
to go with his company, fainted in the street. A sturdy fellow 
ste2:)ped from the .crowd on the sidewalk, saying, " Give me his 
musket and cartridge-box." Tliey were given to him, and 
without another word he marched on in the place of the sick 
man. 

In one of the Massachusetts regiments was a young citizen 
of Maine. He had come from that State to ^lassachusetts to 
visit his mother, whom he had not seen for five years, and had 
been with her only an hour, when he was asked if he did not 
wish to volunteer. He said his grandfather went to Bunker 
Hill on short notice, and he would go now ; so he bade his 
mother good by, and was gone. 

One of the captains of the Massachusetts Sixth regiment 
stated that four hundred were refused admittance to the ranks. 
" It went agin me," said he, " to leave one fellow behind 
When we told him he could not go — ' I've walked fourteen 
miles,' exclaimed he, ' and given up a situation of a dollar and 
a quarter a day just to go, and I think you might take me.' 
When I had to refuse," said the Captain, " he sat down and 
cried." 

A Southern merchant wrote to a large firm in New York, 
requesting a list of the names of those who supported and 
sympathized with the "movement against the South." The 
New Yorker replied by sending through Adams & Co.'s Ex- 
press, a copy of the " City Du'ectory ! ' 



66 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

A wealthy Quaker merchant in New York, had in his cm- 
ploy a stout, liealthy, able-bodied young man, without family. 
He thought the fellow could serve his country to advantage, 
and he accordingly addi-essed him thus : " William, if it is thy 
desire to become a soldier, thou art at liberty to do so, and thy 
salary shall be continued during thy absence as if thou wert 
here ; but if thou dost not desire to become a soldier and serve 
thy country, I no longer require thy services here." The 
young man enlisted. 

" My son," said a solid merchant to his heir and namesake, 
" I would rather give $1,000 than have you go to Washington 
soldiering." " Father," was the kindly but decided response, 
"if you could make it $100,000 it would be of no use; for 
wliere the Seventh regiment goes, I go." 

Before the sailing of the Columbia, transport from New York, 
a demand was made in the name of the regiment that the 
emblematic Palmetto trees on the bow, paddle-boxes, and stern, 
should be }>ainted black. The ceremony of obliteration was 
performed amid the most unbounded applause of the regiment, 
and the citizens on the wharf 

The Ilarmony Society, of Beaver County, Pa., deposited five 
thousand dollars in the bank at New Brighton, to the order of 
Daniel Agnew, Chairman of the Committee of Safety, for such 
general purposes as the war movements might require. This 
society consists of men of advanced age and peaceful pursuits, 
too old for active defense; but they were patriotic, and deter- 
mined to do all that loyal citizens could do for the Government 

A lad}"" of known patiiotism who had done good service in 
sewing and contributing for the volunteers, visited her country 
place in Byberry, near Philadelphia, when the farmer, in honor 
of her arrival, run up a flag upon the barn. Said flag had 
been made some years ago for the children, and, to economise 
material and stitches, contained but three stripes and a short 
dozen of stars. Some of the neighboi-s beheld the tri-striped 



OF THE WAR. G7 

colors and at once gave tlic alarm. In a sliort time an excited 
crowd from all^tlie country around approached tlic j^lacc, bran- 
dishing weapons of every description, tln-eatening to burn down 
the buildings. They took the strange flag to mean secession. 
It was prom})tly removed, and the crowd invited to an ca:le7n' 
pore collation. 

Among other incidents worthy of mention is that of Rode- 
rick W. Cameron, a worthy Scotchman, one of the leading 
citizens of New York, who was offered a place on the staff of 
the brigade in which the Seventy-nintli (Scotch) regiment was 
to serve. In answer to the offer he said : 

"My Dear Colonel : I am rejoiced to see the prompt ac« 
tion of the gallant Seventy-ninth. 

*' Scotchmen are invariaky true to their allegiance. Although 
as a subject of Great Britain, I could not accept the flattering 
offer tendered to me by ^^oui- good self, of a staff appointment ; 
still, there is no reason why a good subject of Great Britain 
should not be an acceptable volunteer to defend the laws and 
the flag of this great country. I therefore heartily tender my- 
self to serve in the ranks of the Seventy-ninth Highlandei-s, 
and share the dangers of those who wear the tartan of my clan. 
I cannot })romise to be constantly with the regiment, but if 
danger threatens, I will endeavor to be present at the moment 
when the first shot is fired. 

" All loyal Britons must feci as I do, that it is for the honor 
and safety of Great Britain to support their cousins of the 
United States, and to maintain the Stars and Stripes as an em- 
blem of true freedom on this continent." 

It was this gallant Seventy-ninth which Colonel Cameron 
(a brother of the then Secretary of War) led to battle, (Bull 
Run,) and, in leading them, perished. 

The Cincinnati Times related a good story of an old fifer 
employed at the Military Institute near Frankfort, Kentucky. 
The old fellow had served in the North-west in the second war 
with Great Britain, and took part in the battle of the Thames 



68 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and otlier fights. During the late Secession tornado over 
Kentucky, the cadets, affected with the fever, talked pretty 
severely against those devoted to the Stars and Stripes. The 
old veteran listened, but said nothing. One evening he went 
into the room of our informant, and seemed to be in some- 
tliing of a passioii He paced backward and forward, saying 
nothing, and refusing to answer all questions. At last he 
pulled out his fife, and, sitting down, sent forth "Yankee 
Doodle" with its shrillest strains. Then he plaj'-ed " Hail 
Columbia," and then " The Star-Spangled Banner," while the 
tears rolled down his aged and weather-beaten cheeks. Con- 
cluding that, he jumped to his feet, and exclaimed : ^^Now, 
d — n 'e?n, I guess they knoiv wliich side Fm on P^ 

Five sons of one mother volunteered at the first call for 
troops. The mother was absent from home at the time, and 
was informed by letter of the step taken by her sons. -Her 
reply deserves to be embalmed in the casket of the Eoman 
mother's jewels. It read : 

" My Dear Husband : Your letter came to hand last even- 
ing. I must confess I was startled by the news referring to 
our boys, and for the moment I felt as though a ball had 
pierced my own heart. For the first time I was obliged to 
-look things full in the face. But although I have always 
loved my children with a love that none but a mother can 
know, yet, when I look at the state of my country, I cannot 
withhold them ; and in the name of their God, and their mo- 
ther's God, and their country's God, I bid them go. If I had 
ten sons, instead of five, I would give them all sooner than 
have our country rent in fragments. The Constitution must 
be sustained at any cost. We have a part to act and a duty 
to perform, and may God, our father, strengthen us, and nerve 
us to the task, and enable us to say. Whatever Thou requirest 
that will I cheerfully give and do. May He bless and protect 
our dear children, and bring them home to us in safety. I 
hope you will provide them each with a Bible, and give them 
their mother's love and blessing, and tell them our prayers 



? ^ i! 




OFTHEWAR. 69 

will accompany tliem, and ascend on tlieir behalf niglit and 
day." 

Colonel Hazard, the great powder manufacturer, wrote to 
CoJonel Colt as follows : 

" I am informed that the regiment you are so generously 
and patriotically arming and fitting out is nearly full. May I 
be permitted, through jou, and in behalf of my company, to 
furnish them with powder sufficient for fifty thousand cart- 
ridges, or as much as you may require for target practice, 
which they and you will please accept from your friend." 

Colonel Colt fitted out and fully armed with his choicest 
■weapons a complete regiment. As early as January, 1861, it 
is said, the Colonel gave orders that no arms should be sold 
to the South. It has been stated that arms were supplied to 
all orders up to the breaking out of hostilities, though it is cer- 
tain that Colonel Colt was thoroughly loyal. 

A letter from Philadelphia, dated April 21st, gave this pic- 
ture of affairs in that city : " Pennsylvania has for once eclips- 
ed New York ! In this contest for the prize of self-sacrificing 
patriotism which now prevails among the States, you can gen- 
erously afford to listen and iicknowledge the fact PennsyJ- 
vania passed the first thoroughgoing war bill, authorizing the 
Governor to call out any number of men, and giving $500,000. 
New York followed with $3,000,000 and thirty thousand men. 
This was worthy of the great heart of New York. It electri- 
fied and staggered us — we were fairly outdone. But when 
Sumter was assailed we recovered our equilibrium, and our 
Legislature, by unanimous vote — the whole Democracy fusing 
with us — ^pledged the State of Pennsylvania ' to any amount, 
and to every extent,' to sustain the Grovernment and put down 
treason. There it stands upon the record, wholly unsurpassed, 
overtopping even glorious New York. Do what others may, 
can any devotion to the Union exceed this ? Now this is not 
bravado. Oar whole population is ablaze with eagerness to 
see it realized. Our city banks immediately offered all the 



70 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

money Pennsylvania might want. Private citizens tendered 
money in amounts never before offered, and I do believe that 
if Government were to Offer ^100,000,000 of Treasury notes in 
Penns)dvania, small enough for general circulation, they would 
be absorbed in less than thirty dnjs. Our confidence in the 
Government is firmer than it ever was, and every new devel- 
opment of its vigorous policy serves to strengthen it. Two 
such communities as New York and Pennsylvania moving 
shoulder to shoulder, seeking to outdo each other in the race 
of devotion to a common countrj'-, present a spectacle at which 
the world may not only v/onder, but exult, and before which 
treason will, ere yet, call upon the mountains to cover it. 

" On Friday last it was discovered that ten thousand uni- 
forais for our volunteers must be supplied by the State, and 
orders were at once issued for making them. The empty Gi- 
rard Ilouse was rented, an army of cutters employed, cloth 
furnished by merchants at mere nominal prices, and our wo- 
men, taking fire at the call, came by thousands to offer their 
help to make up. No such sight was ever seen. The large 
buikling is now filled with ladies, wives of our best citizens, 
with their daughters, working all day on coats and blankets, 
aided by an army of sewing-machines. At least three tliou- 
sand persons, mostly ladies, are now at work, aided by one 
hundred cutters. Ladies come from all parts, town and coun- 
try, volunteering to take Iiome work, and Chesnut street ia 
fairly blocked up with these patriotic women seeking to do 
something for the cause. The work thus goes bravely on. 
Another incident of the times is the organization of a body of 
some three hundred women as nurses, experienced hands, who 
intend going with the troops to take care of the sick and 
wounded. Most of these are young women in robust health 
This same anxiety to aid the cause appears in all the neigh- 
boring towns. In short, the spectacle of a people so united 
has probably never been seen." 

The same letter added these incidents of the hour : " The 
general enthusiasm breaks forth in a multitude of novel shapes. 
Boys are peddling Union flags mounted on sticks in all our 



OFTnEWAR. 71 

tlioronglifares, and from their hands they find their -way into 
all the neighboring towns, where they hang from window and 
doorpost. Men walk our streets under umbrellas made of 
material printed with the Stars and Stripes. The first who 
showed himself under such a banner was greeted with cheers 
as he moved along. Union parasols of printed silks are com- 
ing out for the ladies. Four hundred girls in one of our pub 
lie schools have each contributed stitches in a huge flag, and 
faised it on the school-house amid tremendous cheering. The 
women are working laboriously for the volunteers and their 
families, whom they leave behind them. One lady has smug- 
gled herself in as a volunteer alongside her husband, dressed 
in a suit of his clothes, and jDassing as his brother. Others, 
upmarried, have offered themselves as vivandiers, to accom- 
pany the troops. The owners of many small houses occupied 
by departing volunteers have notified them that they shall 
charge no rent while they are absent at the wars, and others 
are imitating the example thus set. A vast array of names — 
some forty thousand — has been signed to the pledge of faith- 
fulness to the Government, drawn up and headed by Horace 
Binney. Captain Archambault, an old officer under Napoleon, 
has called out the French citizens to swell the ranks of the 
Garde Lafayette under his command, and they respond heart- 
ily. The utmost rivalry prevails among the companies now 
forming as to which shall be fii'st filled. Drilling goes on 
nightly in at least fifty places. I saw some six hundred vol- 
unteers marching in one body behind the recruiting oificer, . 
through as drenching a rain as ever fell. The Stock Brokers, 
as a body, have unanimously pledged themselves to sustain 
the Government. The Drug Exchange people have done tlie 
same thing. Factory hands are every where giving combined 
expression to similar sentiments. Men over sixty years old 
are presenting themselves as volunteers, and insisting on being 
accepted. Merchants and business men, exempt by age from 
military duty, have organized a home guard of ten thousand 
for city defense. Arms are in great demand, and our manu- 
factures are as busy as bees. There is a complete cessation 
10 



72 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of shipments of all kinds of merchandise to tlie rebel States, 
money in hand not tempting our citizens to either feeding or 
clothing them. I hear a rumor of a force of five thousand 
blacks being oi"ganized. They offer to raise that number of 
. men provided a jDlcdge is given tliem that they will be march.- 
ed directly down among the rebels. Such a body could be 
raised here, and in this neighborhood." 

It may be said, in reference to this last sentence regarding 
the blacks, that great numbers of those residing in the North- 
ern States — large numbers of whom were well-to-do people — 
were anxious to serve their country ; but, in no instance dur- 
ing the war were they called into field service. Numbers of 
" contrabands" were employed in camp, hospital and laborer 
service ; but, throughout all the war the loyal blacks were not 
permitted to take up arms. The reason, doubtless, was, that a 
great hue and cry would have been raised by the enemi(;s of 
this Government, here and in Europe, that the negroes were 
being let loose to " commit atrocities" upon the South. As if 
negroes could rival in atrocity the savages who made drinking 
cups of the skvills of the " Fire Zouaves," and who brutally 
scourged, starved, robbed and hung the defenseless Ujiionists 
of Tennessee ! When Parson Brownlow, at an early day of 
the rebellion, said : " If it shall so happen, in the progress of 
affairs, that the authorities of the land shall give us our 
choice, and submit the same to us as an ultimatum^ either to 
go to h — or take refuge in the Southern Confedej-acy, we will 
claim a week to consider of the matter, and to make up our 
mind, as between the two evils" — he simply showed that he 
appreciated the spirit of malice and evil upon which the whole 
movement was founded. 

The following is a specimen of the neics dealt out to the 
Southern people. It is from a New Orleaixs journal : 
" All the Massachusetts troops now in Washington are ne- 
gi'oes, with the exception of two or three drummer-boys. 
General Butler, in command, is a native of Liberia.' Our 
readei-s may recollect old Ben, the barber, who kept a shop in 



OFTHEWAR. 73 

Poydras street, and emigrated to Liberia with a small compe- 
tence. General Butler is his son." As General Butler and 
some Massacluisetts troops had the pleasure of taking posses- 
sion of New Orleans, the people of that city had an oppor- 
tunity of testing his " quality," 

When General Butler, in command of the Massachusetts 
regiments, landed at Annapolis, Md., some of the authorities 
protested against the passage of Massachusetts troops over 
Maryland soil ; to whicli he replied : " Sir, we came here not as 
citizens of Massachusetts, but as citizens of and soldiers of the 
United States, with no intention to invade any State, but to 
protect the Capital of our common country from invasion. We 
shall give no cause of offense; but there must be no fugitive 
shots or stray bricks on the way." 

Butler's troops soon became noted for their general efficiency. 
Probably no regiment was called to the field, embodying more 
ingenious men than the Massachusetts Eighth. When sailors 
were wanted, to take th-o Conslitulion ("Old Ironsides") out of 
danger in Annapolis harbor, fifty-four men stepped fi'om the 
ranks. When the railway to the Aimapolis junction with the 
Washington railway was seized for the transport service of the 
Government, the only engine was found crippled and useless. 
Butler's call for machinists was answered by eight excellent 
workmen — one of whom had helped to construct that identical 
engine. The macliine was in running order in two hours' 
time. The railway track had been torn up, culverts destroyed, 
bridges burned : the men v/ere there to place all in order. 

The Sixth Massachusetts regiment — the regiment as^tiiled 
by the mob in Baltimore — was chiefly drawn from the county 
of Middlesex, which embj'accs the battle-fields of Bunker's 
Hill, Concord and Lexington, and many of the men were line- 
al descendants of those who fought on those fields. 

In the Filth Massachusetts was the Concord company, four 



7-^ INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

members of wliicli were named Buttrick, sons of one in;m, a 
direct descendant from tlic Colonel Buttrick wlio gave the 
command at Concord bridge: " I'irc, fellow soldiers ! for God's 
sake, fire ! " 

How it sounded, to Nortliern ears at least, to lienrits volun 
teers characterised as the lowest scnm of society. 'I'lie Kaleigb 
Banner said, in urging the attack on Washington City : " The 
army of the South will be composed of the best material that 
ever jet made up an army; whilst that of Lincoln will be 
gathered from the sewers of tlie cities — the dcgrailcd, beastly 
offscourings of all quarters of the world, who will scr\e for pay, 
and run away as soon as they can when danger threatens 
them." The Charleston i/erci«-^ characterised our troops as 
"invading swine." And so of almost innumerable ])apers. 
The opinion was so sedulously disseminated that tlic Northern 
volunteers were a beggarly set of cowards, (see ])age 40,) that 
'the only wonder is, Southern "gentlemen" could consent to 
take the field against them. The Mobile A(herti>>vr enlight- 
ened us in this fashion : " Our volunteer soldiery is not the 
soldiery of necessity — men worth their hundreds of thousands 
caiTy the musket in the ranks. Plenty reigns in our dwellings, 
and is gladly abandoned for the privations of the camp. Such 
is the materiel with which we meet a mercenary pauper sol- 
diery. Who would doubt the issue when it is man to man? 
The creatures of one side, sordid and indifferent, fight for so 
much per diem as the alteniative of starvation. I'lie men on 
the other side fight for rights and liberties, filled with ardor by 
the noblest impulses. Let these foes meet in j)itcl»cd battle, 
and the sons of the South will triumph, were the enemy five 
to one." Alas! how their dream dissolved in mist — how their 
tune dianged before a twelvemonth ! 

Let us append, as a comment on the above, the following 
pleasing incident from the New York Sun : — "A tall, splendid- 
looking man, dressed in the uniform of the Allen Greys, Ver- 
mont, stood conversing with a friend on Broadway, llo was 



[OFTHEWAR. 75 

entirely unconscious that liis superior bcigTit was attracting 
universal attention, until a splendid barouche drove up to tlie 
sidewalk, and a young man sprang from it and grasped Lis 
hand, sajdiig, ' You are the most splendid specimen of hu- 
manity I ever saw. I am a Southerner, but my heart is with 
the Union; if it w^ere not, such noble-looking fellows as your- 
self would enlist me in the cause.' The subject of the remark, 
although surprised, was perfectly self-possessed, and answered 
the cordial greeting of the young Southerner with warm enthu- 
siasm. He was several inches above six feet, and his noble, 
open countenance, beamed with the ancient patriotism of the 
Green Mountain Boys, of which he was so line a specimen. 
He had walked fifteen miles from the village of Chittenden to 
enlist, and was the only representative of that village ; but he 
was a host in himself Long may he live to honor our Stars 
and Stripes," 

In the same company of one of the Ohio regiments, were 
sixteen brothers by the name of Finch, all from Dayton, in that 
State, though born in Germany. This remarkable circum- 
stance — sixteen members of one family in one military com- 
pany — has not its parallel, we believe, in the annals of war. 

The Newport Artillery (company F of the First Rhode Is- 
land regiment) has a most notable history, which was thus 
-narrated by a good authority : " It is one of the oldest military- 
organizations in the country. It is an independent company, 
and was chartered by the British Crown in 1741. With but 
three exceptions since that time (during the Revolutionary 
war, when Newport was in possession of English and Hessian 
troops) the company has held annual meetings under the 
charter and elected officers, who consist of a Colonel and others 
connected with a regiment. The names of Generals Greene 
iind Vaughan, of Revolutionary fame. Commodore Pci-r}-, and 
other distinguished personages, are among the enrolled mem- 
bers of tlie company, which number between two and three 
thousand since its organization. In their armory, at Newport, 
thej' have an autograph letter from General George Washing- 



76 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ton, written in 1792, thanking tliem for an invitation to be 
witli them at their annual celebration on the 22d of February 
of that year, which is handsomely framed. Of the fifty-two 
active members, forty-seven volunteered their services for the 
defense of the National Capital, when Governor Sprague tele- 
gi'aphed to inquire the number of men they could furnish, and 
in a few hours the number was increased to one hundred and 
thii'ty-five by recruits. 



VI. 



THE HUMOR OF THE HOUR. 

One of the Ohio regiments chose for its chaplain Rev. Gran- 
ville Moody, a well-known Methodist minister. lie refused to 
serve except the regiment properly equipped him witli a full 
jigliting costume, "for," said he, "in our persuasion we do not 
believe in faith without works." A good thing is alsQ told of 
another " member of the cloth," in Ohio — Rev. Mr. Beattie, 
of Cleveland. Presenting a revolver to a member of the 
Seventh (Ohio) regiment, lie said : " If you get in a tight spot, 
and have to use it, ask God's blessing if you have time, but be 
sure and not let your enemy get the start of yoiL You can say 
' Amen F after you shoot P 

Corporal Tyler, of the Massachusetts Sixth regiment, when 
describing his experience in Baltimore, says he saw a man with 
three stones under his arm and one in his hand, pelting av.'^aj 
at the troops, when he fired at him, and — to use ^\\: Tylers 
own language — " Tlie man clwijped (lie hrichs^ and laid down^ 

Southern Illinois was named " Egypt," because of the mul- 
titude of Southern men who had brought, as residents, igno« 



OF THE -WAR. 77 

ranee, and its concomitant, insolence, along witli tlicm. Dunng 
the excitement following npon the President's call for troops, 
the Southern spirit manifested itself pretty plainly in the lower 
section of the Prairie State. The occupation of Cairo by the 
Federal forces effectually "squelched" this secession spirit. An 
old farmer one day said to the Chicago Light Artillery, whose 
guns made Cairo a terror to Secessionists along the two rivers : 
"I tell you what it is, bo^'^s, them brass missionaries lias con- 
verted a heap of folks hereabouts that was on the anxious seat, 
and scared some others right into Icingdom come /" 

A deputation of sixteen Virginians and eight Marylandera 
visited the President on the 21st of April, and demanded a 
cessation of hostilities until after the session of Congress ! Mr. 
Lincoln, of course, declined the proposition. One of the depu- 
tation said, that 75,000 Marylanders would contest the passage 
of troops over her soil ; to which the President replied, that he 
presumed there was room enough on her soil to bury 75,000 
men. This is grim humor, but a fine instance of dignified 
retaliation to threat. 

The Charleston Mercury relagated its readers witli these talcs 
of the Fire Zouaves — a regiment which struck more real terror, 
to the Southern heart than any other brought into the service 
during the entire war. 

"The first inquiry made by the Fire Zouaves on landing at 
Washington, was, with grave-faced earnestness, " Can you tell 
us where Jefierson Davis is? we're lookin' for him." "Yes," 
said another, " we're bound to hang his scalp in the White 
House before we go back." Another one, whose massive un- 
derjaw and breadth of neck indicated him ' some in a plug 
muss,' remarked, that they had expected to have arrived by 
way of Baltimore. " We would have come through Baltimore 
like a dose of salts," he added, watli an air of disappointment 
One of them beckoned a citizen, confidentially, to his side, and 
inquired, " Is there any secession flags about here ?" lie was 
assured that secession bunting was an article that did not pre- 
vail there. lie nodded, and added, " I only wanted to know." 



78 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"Oil coming down the Avenue, the Franldin Fire Company 
reel passed them at a sliarp run, on its way to a fire ; and tlie 
familiar apparatus was saluted with such a yell of recognition 
along the entire line, as must have fairly astonished the staid 
old reel. 

" Somebody remarked to one of the b'hoj^s, that his hair was 
cut rcnjUicr short. " Oh, yes," was the reply, " wc all had our 
heads filed before we left New York," They all look like 
fighting boys; but one company seems to have a special pres- 
tige that way. " If there's any mischief done, lay it onto 
Company Q^^'^ seemed to be a pet phrase amongst the b"hoys, 

" Some of the Zouaves, in emerging from their quartei's (Co- 
lumbian Market building) this morning, disdaining the tedious, 
common-place mode of exit by the stairway, let themselves 
down to the street from the third story by a rope, like so many 
monkeys." 

" One blank cartridge, hereafter, Captain, will be sufficient ; 
that being given, you can fire with ball ; ammunition is just 
now I'ather expensive," said General Lyon to one of his cap- 
tains, after four blank shots had been fired to bring about a 
steamboat that was passing the arsenal at St Louis, without 
answering the summons of the river guard. 

This, from " Secessia," will bear repeating. The New Or- 
leans authorities seized a ship called American Union. The 
telegraph operators were somewhat confounded when the cap- 
tain (Lincoln) called on them to send a dispatch of this nature: 

" W. v. O. Moses, Bath — American Union in the hands of 
the enemy. 

(Signed) "A LINCOLN, Master." 

The Crescent says the operator would not let it go. " Why 
not ?" says the red-haired captain. Operator replies, "The 
Governor must countersign it." The captain inquires, " Where 
is the Governor?" " On Canal street, at his office," replies 
the operator. Off goes the captain to Governor Moore, pre- 
sents the dispatch, who was taken aU aback, and so much 



OF THE "WAR. 79 

amiisecl, tliat the American Union, Captain Lincoln, "was in 
tlie hands of the enemy,"' that he permitted the disj)atcli to go, 
saying, with a smile, to the Captain, that it luould he so by- 
and-by. 

Nobody persecuted tlie South more than George D. Prentice, 
editor of the Louisville (Kentucky) Journal. Ilis words of 
satire, daggers of derision, lightnings of lampoon, and wither- 
ing storms of wit, did more outrage upon the feelings of the 
rebels than a dozen battles lost to them. In the earlier stnges 
of rebellion, his paper fairly scintillated with the flashes of its 
keen-cutting , though invisible, weapons. We here quote a 
few paragraphs by way of illustration : 

It will be a hard fight, and perhaps about an even one be- 
tween the United States and the Confederate States. The 
former has twice as many men and five times as much money 
as the latter, but the latter has Colonel Blanton Duncan. The 
thing is about even, we gTiess. 

The Mobile Rerjister recommends the Secessionists to sell 
their watches. They might as well — have been behind the 
time, for a long while, by several centuries. If they wait a 
little, however, the United States will furnish them with 
" regulators." 

Some people kick a little at the Morrill tariff. This is 
small business, just now, when the rebels and tlieir abettors 
are kicking over the moral tariff, in the face of all Christendom. 

Something the enemy will not be likely to do — Go Scott- 
free. 

A Northern editor calls Yirginia " the seat of war and the 
seat of honor." He is making a butt of her. 

A man upwards of fifty years of age has sent us a commu- 
nication, insisting upon Kentucky's plunging into tlic war. 
We can understand why these old codgers are so anxious for 
hostilities. They know that their age would protect them from 
service, whilst we young fellows would have to do all the 
fighting. 

The North Carolina Sentinel says that a military company, 
11 • 



80 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

jast organized in its town, has "elected Mr. Wing, Captain, 
and Mr. Head, First Lieutenant." That company is like a 
sleeping hen — it has its Head under its Wing. 

The prevalence of patriotism at the North, in its entire ig- 
noring of partizanship and politics, suggests the coining of a 
new word for its proper expression, viz. : — XJnionimity. 

Who wants a better "National Him" than General Scott? 
University of Virginia, May 17th, 1861. 

Prentice — Stop my paper. I can't afford to read abbolition 
journals these times — the atmosphere of old Virginia will not 
admit of such a filthy sheet as yours has grown to be. 

Yours, etc., GEOEGE LAKE. 

To Editors of Louisville Journal. 

Lake ! — I think it a great pity that a young man should go 
to a University to graduate a traitor and a blackguard — and 
so ignorant as to spell abolition with two " b's." G. D. P. 

The Charleston Mercury calls the Yankee troops, now threat- 
ening the South, " tin peddlers." It is true that the Yankees 
have, generally, in their visits South, peddled tin, but we guess 
they mean to peddle lead this time. 

The man who, to make a show of chivalry, would wantonly 
provoke a war, the horrors of which must fall npon his wife 
and children, is unworthy to have wife and children. 

If any man scratched a name from our noble ticket on Sat- 
urday, we hope that his wife (if any woman has the hard luck 
to be his wife) scratched his face when he went to tea. 

Some fellows are getting to call every man who is for the 
Union, an Abolitionist. We have only to say that any man 
"who applies that term to us is a base liar. We mean this for 
any " chivalrous" son of the South who wishes to make his 
words good. 

Mr. Yancey has not been publicly received by the British 
Ministry, yet he seems to have succeeded in getting its private- 
ear — {privateer.) 

Humphreys county, Tennessee, is a fighting district A 
Nashville paper would have us believe that seven hundred 
recruits came from it to join the Secession army, and when the 



OP THE WAR. 81 

last company left, iliey had io tie the old men to heep them from 
going ; and that the women in that county, even, arc ready now 
to vohmteer in the service of the Confederate States. 1'his is 
the first time we ever heard of a Tennessee woman offering to 
serve in a bad cause. 

Some wretch proposes, as a great peace measure, that all the 
lawyers in the country go off to the war. 

Why is the Union like a crab-apple ? Because to be worth 
anything, it must be preserved. 

A Norfolk paper says : " While the ladies of this city were 
recently gathered in cutting out drawers for the soldiers, it ap- 
peared that after their labor was concluded, cloth was left for 
just one leg of the same. The question being raised as to 
what should be done with this, one of the number promptly 
responded, ' Oh, that will do for use, after they get back.' " 
All very good — as far as it goes. But as the Yankees don't 
mean to leave any legs on the Southern soldiers who get in 
their way, the ladies of Norfolk will have to keep that one 
leg of a drawer to remind them of what was. It will be their 
only leg-i-see. 

The Confederates propose to remove their capital to Eich- 
moncl. As this consists of stocks, bonds and treasury notes, 
the Montgomery people will be a little poorer and the Rich- 
mond people little the richer by this removal of the deposits. 

The only letters the Secessionists will have after the 81st 
instant, are their letters of marque — which are likely to prove 
dead letters to those who take them out. 

It is said that the gambling saloons in Washington are lan- 
guishing for want of business. The patriotic excitement in 
the city has been the ruin of faro, and " the board of green 
cloth" has adjourned sine DIE. All it has to do is to go after 
its friends and emigi'ate to — Richmond ! 

The following rather remarkable story will do to go with 
that mentioned above, of sixteen brothers enlisting in one 
company. Though sounding somewhat fabidous, wx are as- 
sured of its truth. The New York Evening Post rekted: 
"Before the departure of the Fourteenth New York regiment, 



62 IXCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

a man -u-lio carried on a blacksmitli sliop in connection with 
two of his sons, went to tlie li cad-quarters and concluded to 
enlist. lie said that he could leave the blacksmith nnsiuesa 
in the hands of tlie boj's — ' he couldn't stand it any longer, 
and go he must.' He was enlisted. • 

"Next day down comes the oldest of the boys. The black- 
smith's business ' wasn't very drivin', and he guessed John 
could take care of it,' 'Well,' said the old man, ' Go it.' And 
the oldest son went it. But the following day John made his 
appearance. He felt lonesome, and had shut up the shop. 
The father remonstrated, but the boy would enlist, and enlist 
he did. Now the old gentleman had two more sons who 
'worked the fiirm' near Flushing, Loiig Island. The military 
fever seems to have run in the family, for no sooner liad the 
father and two elder brothers enlisted, than the younger sons 
came in for a like purpose. 1^\\q ixiter-familias was a man of 
few words, but he snid that he 'wouldn't stand this anyhow.' 
The blacksmith business might go to — some other place, but 
the farm must be looked after. So the boys were sent home. 
Presently one of them reappeared. They had concluded that 
one could manage the farm, and had tossed up who should go 
with the Fourteenth, and he had won the chance. 

" This arrangement was finally agreed to. But on the day 
of departure the last boy of the family was on hand to join 
and on foot for marching. Tlie old man was somewhat puz- 
zled to know what arrangement could have been made which 
would ahow all of the family to go, but the explanation of the 
boy solved the difficulty: ' Father,' said he, with a confideiv 
tial chuckle in the old man's ear : ' J've let tlie farm on shares P 
The whole family — father and four sons — :went with the regi- 
ment." 

At Bangor, Me., a young man offered himself as a recruit at 
one of the offices in that city, who, evidently being a minor, 
was asked if he had his father's permission to volunteer. lie 
replied that he had no father; but admitted tliat his mother 
was not willing. " Then you must get your mother's consent," 



OF THE WAR. 83 

said tlie ofTicer. The young man retired, and returned with 
the following brief but noble letter : — "i2e is my all, but I free' 
hj rjLce him to viy country T 

An Indiana man, with hair whitened by age, applied for 
admission to the ranks. He was rejected, ow^ing to his ev ident 
age. Repairing to a barber's he had his hair and beard color- 
ed black, and again applied. The metamorphosis was so 
complete that he "passed." AYhcn asked his age he replied: 
" rising of thirty-live." 



VII. 



THE SPIRIT OF TKE SOUTH. 

A BRIEF section will not be uninteresting which will show 
to the reader the spirit moving the Southern heart in the con- 
flict with the North. It is by knowing the hidden springs of 
a man's actions that we are best able to judge him : so of a 
state, or a country : — by knowing the animus of its people we 
are all the better prepared to consider the justice or injustice 
of its cause. 

The rebellion sprung from a spirit of dishonor. It originated 
in no "wrongs" committed by the North; the North, as the 
dominant section, had rather sacrificed its own feelings and 
self-respect to assist the South to place and prosperity. From 
the date of the first purchases of territory to add to the area 
of Slavery and its political power, the South had experienced 
only a constant succession of benefits from the General Gov- 
ernment. The gi'eat, oft repeated complaints of the non-en- 
forcement of the Fugitive Slave law, was shown, over and over 
n 



84 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

again, to be most trifling.* The election of a "sectional" Pre- 
side lit was entirely and solely owing to the fact that the 
Southern malcontents ran Breckenridge against Douglas. The 
united vote for these two Democrats would have defeated Mr. 
Lincoln by over tliree Imndred and fifty thousand votes ! And, 
all they (the Democrats) had to do to elect their man, was to 
run but one candidate at the next election. Besides this, thej 
first set the example of electing a purely " sectional" ticket — 
Jackson and Calhoun as President and Vice President on the 
ticket of 1831, being both Southern men. The asseveration 
of the existence of an inimical feeling at the North against the 
South, was shown to be unfounded in fact ; the combined 
Democratic and Bell-Everett tickets polled within one. hundred 
thousand as many votes, in the Free States alone, as were given 
(m the same States) to the Lincoln ticket 

What, then, was the cause of the secession rebellion ? It 
originated in what the Western men call a spirit of "pure 
cussedness" — in the ambition of a few daring, resolute men to 
found a new government, in which they should be the master 
spirits — to engraft the idea of property in man upon the or- 
ganic law of such Govcrnmentf and thus nationalize Slavery. 
If other causes existed they were such as only would serve to 
strengthen the judgment of mankind, that it w^as one of the 
most wicked attempts against a good government that the world 
ever saw. 

The spirit fostered by the conspirators was one of Evil. 
Their game depended for its success upon the comj)lete aliena- 
tion of the South from the North, and, in the place of respect, 
to plant the seeds of dislike. The press — that great engine 
for evil or for good — in the Cotton States was suborned, bul- 
lied, bought or cajoled into a support of the schemes for a new 
confederacy ; and, once on the side of the conspiracy, it lent 

* See the si^eeches of Mr. Douglas and of George E. Pugh, Uiiitecl 
States Senator from Ohio, (a Breckenridge Democrat,) in the U. S. Sou 
ate, Dec. 11, '60. 

t See the Exposition of the Southern Constitution made by the Vice- 
President of the Confederate States at Savannah, March 23d, 1801. 



OFTHEWAR. 85 

its energies to a dissemination of tlic most slioeking falseliooda 
"wliic-li human depravity could conceive. By these falsehoods 
the masses of the South were led astray, and kept ignorant of 
the most vital facts. They were excited into a violent hate of 
everything appertaining to the North ; and, when the hour 
came for the shock of battle, the leaders found themselves at 
the head of a people swayed by passions whose malignancy 
were only excelled by their baseness. Does this seem a strong 
statement of the case? Alas! that the page of history is 
darkened by a record which proves all we have asserted and 
more than we care to assert. 

[A leading journalist — a Democrat — who had candor enough 
to express his sentiments on the relatic«is so long existing be- 
tween his party and the aristocrats of the South, wrote (May 
15th) : " Southern people misunderstand us, and in fact de- 
spise us, in so vital a jiarticular that we are not fit to live to- 
gether until both are forced to mutual respect. They actually 
look upon us, in regard to courage, r* little better than so many 
Chinamen or Sepoys, and the secret of this whole rebellion is, 
not any new endangerment of Slavery, but the revolt of a set 
of barons, who for thirty years have encouraged themselves to 
believe they are of a superior race, and fancied they had hit 
upon a proper period to withdraw and prove it. Though es- 
sentially aristocratical in all their sentiments and institutions, 
they had maintained an alliance with the Democratic party, 
because they had certain commercial principles in common, 
but they promptly sacrificed that party as soon as their mista- 
ken pride had culminated, and left it captive in the hands of 
the Eepublicans. It was some time before the Democracy 
could understand the philosophy of this action by its aristo- 
cratic ally ; but the depth of the desertion broke upon it in 
the acknowledgments of such men as Yancey, Keitt and Rhett, 
while the recently-developed predictions of statesmen like 
Calhoun, enabled it to realize the uses to which it had been 
put. The result is that the indignant Democratic party now 
stands foremost in this war, and seeks a fresh ascendancy by 
new devotion to the nation. It will not be hasty to form new 



86 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

alliances witli a party which acknowledges that all its tenden- 
cies are avistocratical, and whose main maxim, as uttered by 
one of its leading statesmen, is, that 'all labor is dangerous.' " 

This statement of the case is so eminently just that wc are 
impelled to give it place. 

The first essay of the leaders was to rob and steal from the 
Government all that it was possible to appropriate. In Mr. 
Buchanan's cabinet one of the conspirators was placed at the 
head of the Treasury Depai-tment. He took the keys to find 
a treasury so over full as to render it burdensome ; he left it 
utterly depleted and the country's credit almost ruined " on 
change." His part of the enterprise appears to have been so 
far to bankrupt the Government finances as to render the in- 
coming Administration powerless to punish treason or to stay 
the revolution. Another conspirator was Secretary of "War. 
His office in the entei*prise was to fill all the arsenals in the 
South with arms and munitions, to stock all the forts with 
ordnance and supplies, and to send away all their garrisons 
and guards. How well lie performed his part is apparent in 
the sobriquet by which he is now known — " Floyd, the Prince 
of thieves." 

When the moment came to " spring the trap," these wor- 
thies withdrew from their dishonored places to receive the 
acclaims of their fellow-conspirators. A general " seizure" 
followed of everything which a confiding Government had 
permitted to remain in the reloellious sections — arms, muni- 
tions, money, military property, buildings, &c. These " seiz- 
ures" honorable men termed thefts or highway robberies : the 
Secessionists called them " captures" or. " appropriations." 
The moral turpitude of the acts only indicated the baseness of 
" the cause," and the baseness of the cause only reflected the 
degeneracy of the people who approved of the secession 
revolution. 

A general repudiation of debts due to Northern creditors 
followed. The North, with astonishing liberality, had trusted 
the South for goods, for machinery, for provisions — had built 
Southern railways and canals — had stocked their marts with 



OF THE WAR. 87 

capital ready for any want of tlie planter or real estate opera- 
tor. As a consequence the South became an enormous debtor 
— owing over sixty millions of dollars to New York city alone, 
which came due in the year 1861. To repudiate was an easy 
way, with dishonorable men, to discharge an honorable obli- 
gation ; and that Legislatures forbade the collection of debts 
due to the North through the State Courts, was only another 
crime to add to tlie category of sins which are now scheduled 
under the name of secession. 

It was so natural to abuse those whom they had injured, 
that we are not surprised to find the Cotton States, in 1861, 
fairly sli|)pery with falsehood and misrepresentation. With a 
few honorable exceptions — exceptions which stand like green 
spots out of that Dismal Swamp of demoralization — the press 
adopted a system of paragraphing, whose first and last prin- 
ciple was to misinform their readers — to overrate their own 
importance and sti'cngth and to underrate that of " their ene- 
my" — to deceive and betra}^ A first imj^ulse of men base 
enough to act the part performed by the Secessionists would 
be to contemn, and affect to despise, those whose favors they 
had fattened upon. Such paragraphs as that quoted on page 
40 followed fast in the van of events, as if to pilot the South 
in the way it should not go. A few more extracts will suffice 
to convince the most incredulous, of the base part played by 
the press in exciting the baser passions of Southern human 
nature. 

A gentleman of Ricliniond, Va., was in New York. The scenes which 
he witnessed in tlic streets reminded liim of the descriptions of tho 
Reign of Terror in Paris. Nothing was wanting but tlie bloody guillo- 
tine to make the two jiictures identical. The violent and diabolical 
temper everywhere conspicuous, showing but too clearly whither all 
things are tending in the commercial metropolis. A spirit is evoked 
which can only be laid in blood. The desperadoes of that great city 
arc now in the ascendant. — Richmond Whir). 

The tremendous outburst of ferocity that avc witness in the Northern 
States, is simply the repetition of one of the most common traits of 
their national character. It is the fashion of the day, the humbug of 
the hour, and it will cease as suddenly as it has commenced. Liko 
straw ou fire, the periodical sensations of the North make a great flame, 

12 



88 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

but to sink to tlie ashes and the dust of indifFercuce as swiftly as they 
sprang. — Ilichmond Examiner. 

When the Commonwealth of Rome was subverted, the people were 
compelled to Avoi-ship the image of the despots whom the brute force 
of the mercenary soldiery had elevated to brief authority. So it seems 
the Black Repuijlican molis of the Northern cities compel the people to 
worship strij^ed rags as evidence of their obeisance to the Abolition 
despots who now desecrate the seats of power in the Federal city.^ 
Charleston News. 

The Richmond Wliig says that the last reliable intelligence represents 
that Old A])c had been beastly intoxicated for the previous thirty-six 
consecutive hours, and that eighty Border Ruffians, from Kansas, under 
the command of Lane, occupied the East Room to guard His IVIajesty's 
slumbers. It is broadly hinted in a Washington paper, that his guai'd 
exerts a despotic control over the Presidential inmate — that all his de- 
crees are of its inspiration. The paper (77ie States and Union) i\\Qjx 
proceeds to shed a becoming quantity of tears over this " sad subject 
for contemplation." — N. 0. Sunday Delta. 

General Scott, it seems, has taken position again.st his native State. 
It is a sight to see the drivelling old fop, with his skinny hands and 
bony fingers, undo, at one dash, the labors of a long and active life. 
With the red-hot pencil of infamy, he has written upon his wrinkled 
brow the tenible, damning word, "Traitor." — Abingdon {Va.) Democrat. 

It was, no doubt, the profound policy of Lincoln and his faction to 
throw the operatives of the North out of employ, to secure the recruits 
for tlie army of coercion. Starvation produces a certain sort of valor, 
and a hungry belly may stimulate patriotism to a kind of courage which, 
on a good feed, will risk the encounter with a bullet. It appears that 
the Lincoln recruits from I\Iassacluisetts, at Baltimore, were in largo 
proportion cobblers. The revolution seems to have affected their craft 
more than any other, according to some of the accounts; their vocation 
gave them admiraijle facilities in the fight, especially in running; they 
used their footing expeditiously, and took a free flight with their soles 
(souls)— not one of thenx ai)parently being anxious, under the fire of 
Baltimore brickbats, to sec liis last. — Charleston Mercury. 

Massachusetts, the telegraph so reports, is all alive with the war 
spirit. Those who know these Puritan fanatics will never believe that 
they intend to take the field against Southern men. They may muster 
into service to garrison j^osts comparatively free from attack, and when 
they can be sheltered within impregnable walls, but the hereafter will 
Lave little to tell of their deeds in the tented field, or the "imminent 
deadly breach." — New Orleans Bulletin. 



VIIT. 



THE FIRST AND THE SECOND TRAGEDY. 

The movement forward, early in tlie morning of May 24:tli, 
1861, of the Union army, was the first definite step toward 
meeting tlie enemy. General Scott's plans were only known to 
the President and Cabinet, whose confidence he had, in an 
eminent degree. A journal well versed in matters, said, (May 
■15th): "General Scott is about to remodel the United States 
army upon the French system, so as to give it more cfiiciency 
and perfection. The old hero works with astonishing zeal, 
and his mind operates as actively as many a man at fifty-five. 
It is undoubted that he contemplates a long campaign, that 
Washington is to be the ba.se of operations, that a large force 
will be kept permanently stationed here, and that all demon- 
strations in sui)port of the loyal men in the South, and in 
furtherance of the determination to retalce stolen property, will 
move fi'om this point. Some complaints are made bccan.se an 
expedition has not already been .sent into Virginia, for the 
purpo.se of capturing llichmond; but I am disposed to i-epose 
my trust entirely upon the experience and patriotism of 
General Scott lie is heartily sustained by the President and 
Messrs. Chase, Cameron, Seward, and the rest of the Cabinet, 
although it is not doubted that Postmaster-General Judge Blair 
favors a more extreme and aggressive policy." 

The gathci'ing of troops at the Capital argued something 
more than its defense. With approaches all open and com- 
manding positions unoccupied by Fedei-al forces, the mere re-' 
tention of the city would have been to insure its destruction 



90 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

for the enemy's artillery on Arlington Heights would linve Inld 
the Capital itself in ruins. The safety of the city clejieutlecl 
on an advance. But, more than the protective policy it was 
evident was required. The fact became daily clearer that, if 
the Union was sustained it must be done vi ct arm is ; if rebel- 
lion would be crushed and treason punished, it would be done 
only by a campaign in the heart of the rebellious region ; if 
the Southern madmen wei-e stayed in their designs, it Avould 
be necessary to meet them, on land and sea, with the fullest 
terrors of the outraged Government. No one comprehended 
this more fully than the Pi-esident and the venerable General- 
in-Chief; and we find their plans well developed, by May 20th, 
for an active prosecution of the war. 

It became evident at Washington, on the 231 of May, that 
Bomc important movement was contemplated — that, in flict, 
Vij'ginia was to be "invaded." The note of prepamtion was 
sounded throughout the camps on the afternoon of that day, 
though the officers were ignorant of the extent of the service 
to be performed. At midnight, the District Militia, six. com- 
panies, moved forward as scouts and pickets, over the Long 
Bridge. They were first on the " sacred soil." The New York 
Seventh was detailed as the reserve, and, forming line near the 
bridge, saw the whole forces, under General Mansfield, pass 
over, before it brought up the rear. The New York Twelfth 
and Twenty-fifth, the First Michigan, and the Fii-st, Second, 
Third and Fourth New Jersey, passed over Loi^g Bridge be- 
tween two and four o'clock A. ^i. — the Seventh ci'ossing at day- 
break. Above, at the Chain Bridge, McDowell's forces passed 
over, at the same time, comprised of the New York Sixty- 
ninth and Twenty-eighth, with Drummond's cavalry and a 
battery. This detachment took possession of Arlington 
Heights, and immediately commenced the work of constructing 
defences. The New York Fire Zouaves (Colonel Ellsworth) 
moved down by transjx)rts to Alexandria, landing, at ?iYQ 
o'clock, under the guns of the Pawnee. The Fii-st Michigan, 
(Colonel AVilcox) moved down from the Long Bridge to co« 
operate with the Zouaves in the occupancy of Alexandria. 



OF THE "WAR. 91 

The New York Twclftli took position about lialf-way between 
the two points. The Twcnty-fiftli advanced toward Falls 
Cliurch. The Seventli held Long Bridge. Tlic morning of 
the 24tli found Virginia in possession of the "hireling mob," 
wlio had thus made their first step toward the work of 
"coercion." 

No enemy opposed the invasion — contrary to all expecta- 
tion. General Scott, in person, was at the bridge to be pre- 
pared for any emergency which might arise, but was not called 
to the field. Generals Mansfield and McDowell only found 
pickets far in advance of their lines in the morning. 

This step excited the country greatl 3^, for the moment. The 
Confederates fairly shrieked in their imprecations ; and their 
vows of a summary revenge were neither few nor made in the 
most civilized spirit of modern warfare. We quote from the 
'Jiinquirer of Eichmond, as a specimen of the rhetoric excited 
by the Federal act : 

" We congratulate the people of Virginia that the last flimsy 
pretext of the Rump Government at Washington, of regard 
for constitutional laws, has been thrown aside. The sovereign 
State of Virginia has been invaded by the Federal hirelings, 
without authority of Congress, which alone has the war- making 
power. Heretofore, the pretense that it was the duty of the 
Federal Government to repossess itself of the forts and arsenals 
in the Seceded States, has been put forward to justify the ag- 
gressive movements of Federal troops. But in the present 
case tliere is no such pretense ; no forts, or arsenals, or other 
Federal property have been seized at Alexandria. The 
'bloody and brutal' jDurposes of the Abolitionists, to subju- 
gate and exterminate the Soutliern people, stands confessed by 
this flagrant outrao'e upon Vira'inia soil. 

" Virginians, arise in your strength and welcome the invader 
with ' bloody hands to hospitable graves.' The sacred soil 
of Virginia, in which repose the ashes of so many of tlie illus- 
trious patriots who gave independence to their country, has 
been deseci'ated by the hostile tread of an ai-med enemy, who 
proclaims his malignant hatred of Virginia because she will 



92 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

not bow lier proud neck to tlie liiimiliating yoke of Yankee 
rule. Meet the invader at the threshokl. Welcome him with 
bayonet and bullet. Swear eternal hatred of a treacherous 
foe, whose only hope of safety is in your defeat and subjection." 

But the occupation was not bloodless. Our country lost 
one of its most promising oflicers. Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, 
of the New York Fire Zouaves, fell by the hand of an assassin 
while in the performance of his duty at Alexandria. 

Colonel Ellsworth was, in many respects, a remarkable per- 
son. Ilis regiment of Zouaves were remarkable men. Both 
officers and men had been counted upon for extraordinary ser- 
vice from the known ability of the commander and the known 
courage and endurance of the entire regiment. A New York 
city journal said of him : 

"It is about a month since a young man of soldierly bear- 
ing, of an unusually fine ph3^sique, of frank and attractive 
manners, and of great intelligence, called on us on tlic day of 
his arrival from Washington, to state his wishes and purposes, 
in relation to raising a regiment among the New York firemen. 
A fortnight later we saw him on his way to embark for Wash- 
ington at the head of his men, and escorted by the most im- 
posing procession this city has ever witnessed. This man was 
Colonel Ellsworth of the Firemen Zouaves. 'I want,' he said, 
'the New York firemen, for there are no more effective men 
in the country, and none with whom I can do so mu(.l-i. Tiiey 
are sleeping on a volcano at Washington,' he added, ' and I 
want men who can go into a fight noio.^ The impression he 
made upon us was that of a fearless, gallant and energetic man, 
one of those possessed of the qualities that distinguish those 
who have them as soldiers, and of powers that especially fit 
them to be leaders among men. In him we think the country 
has lost a very valuable life." 

The Zouaves gathered at liis call with alacrity ; tvro ]'egi- 
ments could have been made up immediately from the firemen 
of New York city, had they been wanted. A short time suf- 
ficed to place the commander at tbe head of his men. In 
twenli/ days from the date of his first appearance in New York 



OF THE "WAR. 93 

he was in WasLington (May 2cl) with one thousand of as bravo 
and reclvless men as ever walked the field. They only i-equired 
to be ruled with a firm hand and led by a fearless lieart to 
perform great service. In Ellsworth they at once had a leader 
whom they idolized and a ruler whom they obc3'ed with alac- 
rity, for out of their wild natures he j^romised to coin heroes 
whom the country would love to honor. 

The regiment was chosen for the first forward movement in 
expectation of hard work. Theirs were spirits too eager for 
action, too accustomed to excitement, to bear the dead life of a 
camp. " Onward to Richmond !" became their cry. The 
troops broke up camp at two o'clock A. M., and passed down 
to Alexandria by transports. So utterly unexpected liad the 
movements been conducted, that the Virginia people were 
completely taken by surpi'ise, and no opposition was offered 
at any point. Ilad the design of General Scott been betrayed, 
it is probable the rebels would have stubbornly opposed the 
descent and occupation. Tlie Zouaves landed at Alexandria 
unopposed. The tragedy of Ellsworth's death soon followed. 
One who was present and witnessed the assassination, thus 
detailed its circumstances : 

" The Colonel gave some rapid directions for the interrup- 
tion of the railway coarse, by displacing a few rails near the 
depot, and then turned toward the centre of the town, to de- 
stroy the means of communication southward by the telegraph ; 
a measure which he appeared to regard as ver)^ seriously im- 
portant. He Avas accompanied by Mi-. 11. J. Winser, ]\'Iilitary 
Secretary to the regiment ; the Chaplain, tlie Kev. E, AV. 
Dodge ; and myself At first he summoned no guard to fol- 
low him, but afterwards turned and called forward a single 
squad, with a sergeant from the first company. We passed 
quickly through the streets, meeting a fev/ bewildered travel- 
lers issuing from the principal hotel, which seemed to be slow- 
ly coming to its daily senses, and were about to turn towaixl 
the telegraph ofiicc, ulicn the Colonel, first of all, caught sight 
of the secession flag, which has so long swung insolently in 
full view of the President's Uouse. lie immediately sent 



9-i INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

back tlic sergeant, with an ordei- for tlic advance of tlic (Mitire 
first company, and, leaving the matter of tlie telegraph office 
for a while, pushed on to the hotel, which proved to be the 
'Marshall House,' a second-class inn. On entering the open 
door the Colonel met a man in his shirt and trowsers, of whom 
he demanded what sort of flag it was that hung above the 
roof, Tlie stranger, who seemed greatly alarmed, declared he 
knew nothing of it, that he was only a boarder there. With- 
out questioning him further the Colonel sprang up stairs, and 
we all followed to the topmost stor^-, whence, by means of a 
ladder, he clambered to the roof, cut down the flag with Win- 
ser's knife, and brought it from its staff. We at once turned 
to descend, private Brownell leading the way, and Colonel 
Ellsworth immediately following him with the flag. As Brow- 
nell I'eachcd the first landing-place, or entr_y, after a descent of 
a dozen steps, a man jumped from a dark passage, and hardly 
noticing the private, levelled a double-barrelled gun square at 
the Colonel's breast. Bi'ownell made a quick pass to turn the 
weapon aside, but the fellow's hand was firm, and he discharg- 
ed one barrel straight to its aim, the slugs or buckshot Avith 
wdiich it was loaded entering the Colonel's heart, and killing 
him at the instant, lie was on the second or third step from 
the landing, and dropped forwaixl with that heavy, horrible, 
, headlong weight wliich alwa3's comes of sudden death inflicted 
in this manner. His assailant turned like a flash to give the 
contents of the other barrel to Brownell, but either he could 
not command his aim or the Zouave was too quick with him, 
for the slugs went over his head, and passed through the pan- 
els and wainscot of a door. Simultaneously with this second 
shot, ajul sounding like the echo of the firet, Brownell's rifle 
was heard and the assassin staggered backward. He was hit 
exactly in the middle of the face, and the wound, as I after- 
ward saw it, was the most frightful I ever witnessed, Brow- 
nell did not know how fatal his shot had been, and so before 
the man dropped, he thrust his sabre baA'onet through and 
through the bod}^, the force of the blow sending the dead man 
violently down the upper section of the second flight of staira, 



OFTHEWAR. 95 

at tlic fool, of wliicli he lay with his face to the floor. Winser 
rau from above crying, ' Wlio is hit ?' but as he glanced down- 
ward by our feet, he needed no answer. 

"Bewildered for an instant by The suddenness of this attack, 
and not knowing what more might be in store, we forbore to 
proceed, and gathered together defensively. There were but 
seven of us altogcthei", and one was without a weapon of any 
kind. Brownell instantly reloaded, and while doing so per- 
ceived the door through which the assailant's shot had passed, 
beginning to open. He brought his rifle to the shoulder, and 
menaced the occupants, two travellers, with immediate death, 
if they stirred. The three other privates guarded the passa- 
ges, of which there were quite a number converging to the 
point where we stood, while the Chaplain and Winser looked 
to the staircase by which we had descended, and the adjoining 
chambers. I ran down stairs to see if any thing was threaten- 
ed from the story below, but it soon appeared there was no 
danger from that quarter. The first thing to be done was to 
look to our dead friend and leader. He had fallen on his face, 
and the streams of blood that flowed from his wound had lite- 
rally flooded the ^va3^ The Chaplain turned him gently over, 
and I stooped and called his name aloud, at which I thought 
then he murmured inarticulately. I prcsimic I was mistaken, 
and I am not sure that he spoke a word after being struck. 
Winser and I lifted the body with all care and laid it upon a 
bed in a room near by. The rebel flag, stained with his 
blood, we laid about his feet. Before the first company, or- 
dered up by the Colonel, as before stated, arrived, we had re- 
moved some of the unsightly stains from the Colonel's features, 
and composed his limbs. His expression in death was beau- 
tifully natural. The Colonel was a singularly handsome man, 
and, excepting the pallor, there was nothing different in his 
countenance now from what all his friends had so lately been 
accustomed to gladly recognize. The detachment was heard 
approaching at last, a reenforcement was easily called up, and 
the surgeon was sent for. His arrival, not long after, of course 
sealed our ov^rn unhappy belief. A terrible scene was enacting 
13 



96 INCIDEXTS AND ANECDOTES 

on tlie floor below. A woman had ran from a lower room to 
the stairway Avhere the body of the defender of the secession 
flag lay, and recognizing it, cried aloud with an agony so 
lieart-rcnding that no j^erson could witness it without emotion. 
She flung her arms in the air, struck her brow madly, and 
seemed in every way utterly abandoned to desolation and 
ivenzj. She offered no reproaches — appeared indeed almost 
regardless of our presence, and yielded only to her own frantic 
despair. It was her husband that had been shot. He was 
the proprietor of the hotel. His name was James T. Jackson. 
Winser was confident it was the same man who met us at the 
door when we entered, and told us he was a boarder. His 
■wife, as I said, was wild almost to insanity. Yet she listened 
when spoken to, although no consolation could be offered her. 

" It is not from any wish to fasten obloquy upon the slayer 
of Colonel Ellsworth, but simply because it struck me as a 
frightful fact, that I say the face of the dead man wore the 
most revolting expression of rage and hatred that I ever saw. 
Perhaps the nature of his wound added to this effect, and the 
wound was something so appalling that I shall not attempt to 
describe it, as it impressed me. It is probable that such a 
result from a bullet-wound could not ensue once in a thousand 
times. Either of Brownell's onslaughts would have been in- 
stantaneously fatal. The saber- wound was not less effective 
than that of the ball. The gun which Jackson had fired lay 
beneath him, clasped in his arms, and as we did not at first all 
know that both barrels had been discharged, it was thought 
necessary to remove it, lest it should be suddenly seized and 
made use of from below. In doing this, his countenance was 
revealed. 

"As the morning advanced, the townspeople began to gather 
in the vicinity, and a guard was fixed, preventing ingress and 
egress. This was done to keep all parties from knowing what 
had occurred, for the Zouaves were so devoted to their Colonel 
that it was feared if they all were made acquainted with the 
real fact, they would sack the house. On the other hand, it 
was not thought wise to let the Alexandrians know thus early 



P T II E W A R . 97 

the flitc of their townsman. The Zouaves v.'crc t]ie only regi- 
ment that liad arrived, and their head and soul was g-one. Be- 
sides, th.e duties which tlie Colonel had hurriedly assigPied be- 
fore leaving them had scattered some companies in various 
quarters of the town. Several persons sought admisbion to 
the Marshall House, among them a sister of tlie dead man, 
who had heard the rumor, but who was not allowed to know 
the true state of the case. It was painful to hear lier remark, 
as she went away, that ' of course they wouldn't shoot a man 
dead in his own house about a bit of old bunting.' Many of 
the lodgers were anxious to go fortli, but they were detained 
until after I had left. All sorts of arguments and persuasions 
were employed, but the Zouave guards were inexorable. 

" At about seven o'clock, a mounted officer rode up, and in- 
formed us that the Michigan First had arrived, and had cap- 
tured a troop of rebels, who had at first demanded time for re- 
flection, but who afterward concluded to yield at discretion. 
Not long after this, the surgeon made arrangements for the 
conveyance of Colonel Ellsworth's body to Washington. It 
was properly veiled from sight, and, with great tenderness, 
taken by a detachment of the Zouaves and the Seventy-first 
New York regiment (a small number of whom, I neglected to 
state, embarked in the morning at the Navy-3'ard, and came 
down with us) to the steamboat, by which it was brought to 
the Navy-yard and given over to the tender care of Captain 
Dahlgren." 

The excitement which followed this assassination was gi'cat. 
The Secessionists of course gloated over it. The press of the 
South was jubilant, and the ruffian who did the act was placed 
in their Pantheon of heroes. The press of the North mourned 
the death of one so chivalrous, so young, so early lost to his 
conntry. The President was shocked at the calamity, for his 
personal attachment to Ellsworth was sincere. A gentleman 
who happened to call at the White House to see the President, 
on the morning of the sad day, thus narrated the incident : 

" I called at the White House with Senator Wilson of Mas- 
sachusetts, to see the President on a pressing matter of business, 



93 INCIDENTS AXD A N E C D T E S 

nncl as \vc entered wc remarked the President standing before 
a window, looking out aci'oss tlic Potomac. lie did not movo 
till we approaclied very elosel}', when lie turned round abrupt- 
ly and advanced towards us, extending Lis liand. 'Excuse 
me,' he said, 'but I cannot talk.' The President burst into 
tears, and concealed his face in his handkerchief. He walked 
up and down the room for some moments, and we stepped 
aside in silence, not a little moved at such an unusual spec- 
tacle, in such a man, in such a jilace. After composing him- 
self some vv hat, the President took his seat and desired us to 
approach. ' I will make no apology, gentlemen,' said the Presi- 
dent, ' for ni}- weakness ; but I knew poor Ellswortli well, and 
held him in great regard. Just as you entered the room. Cap- 
tain Fox left me, after giving me the painful details of Ells- 
worth's unibrtunate death. The event was so unexpected, 
and the recital so touching, that it quite unmanned me.' 

"The Pi'esidcnt here made a violent effort to restrain his 
emotions, and after a pause he proceeded, with a tremulous 
voice, to give us the incidents of the tragedy that had occurred. 
'Poor fellow,' repeated the President, as he closed his relation, 
'it was undoubtedly an act of rashness, but it only .shoM's the 
heroic si)ii-it that animates our soldiers, from high to low, iu 
this righteous cause of ours. Yet who can restrain their grief 
to see them fdl in such a way as this, not by the fortunes of 
"war, but by the hand of an assassin?' Towards the close of 
his remarks, he added: 'There is one flict which has reached 
me, which is a great consolation to my heart, and quite a relief 
after this melanchol\- af.iiir. I learn from several persons, that 
when the Stars and Stripes were raised again in Alexajidria, 
many of the peojile of tlie town actually we])t for joy, and 
manifested the liveliest gratification at seeing this familiar and 
loved emblem once more floating above them. This is another 
proof that all the South is not Secessionist; and it is my ear- 
nest hope that as we advance we shall find as many friends as 
foes.'" 

The remains were removed to the White House on the 
morning of the 25th, under escort of the New York Seventy- 



OF THE WAR. 99 

first, as a guard of honor, accompanied by a detacliment of 
Zouaves, including Brownell, the slayer of tlie assassin. From 
the "White House, where it lay in state, until three o'clock, P. M., 
the body was taken to the house of his parents, at Mechanics- 
ville, New York, for burial. Vast and imposing demonstra- 
tions were made over the remains in New York and Albany; 
and at Mechanicsville he was buried amid the tears of a large 
concourse of people and in the presence of the local military 
and the guard of honor. 

This act of assassination was in perfect keeping with the 
spirit of Secession. A community where the use of pistol and 
knife were almost every day occurrences — where all indignities 
were wij^ed out in blood, was not likely to foster a feeling of 
loyalty to a Government, where just men aimed to suppress 
all violations of the peace. Jackson was a violent Secessionist 
He flouted his odious flag from his house as expressive of de- 
fiance ; and, though Southern gentlemen did not make him 
their equal as an associate, they did not disdain to applaud his 
act and to accord him the place of a martyr in the cause of the 
South. 

Various public bodies, including State Legislatures of the 
South, passed resolutions approving the assassination. Pol- 
lard, the Southern Historian of the War, speaking of the 
want of spirit shown by the New Orleans people in permit- 
ting the Federal flag to be erected over their city, referred 
to Jackson as the embodiment of the true Southern spirit 
We shall take him at his word, and regard the coarse, brutal, 
drunken wretch as a true type of an uncompromising Seces- 
sionist One good fruit of the war was, that it left few such 
creatures ungathered by the sickle. Death, who did not have 
their eyes opened to see their own baseness and impotence 
in a war with the spirit of Humanity and Liberty. 



IX. 



THE FIRST CAPTURE OF THE FLAG. 

The tragedy of EUswortli gave a sad^ interest to tlie flag 
wliicli had floated from the roof of the " Marshall House," in 
Alexandria. That flag had floated there in defiance, in full 
view of the Capital, and its insolent proprietor had sworn it 
never should come down as long as he was alive. 

Before the occupation of the place, on the morning of the 
24th of May, by the Federal forces, an attempt to seize and bear 
away the detested emblem of rebellion and defiance had been 
made by the daring of a single man. The incident so hap- 
pily illustrates the nerve of the true "Yankee," and is, withal, 
BO full of exciting interest, that we give the story at length. 

Two brothers were seen in Alexandria on the evening of 
Tuesday, May 21st. They entered their names on the " Mar- 
Bhall House" register, as Charles E. Fuller, of Boston, and W. 
J. A. Fuller, of New York. Of course both became " spotted" 
characters from that moment. They extended their observa- 
tions to all parts of the place, where sentinels did not bar the 
way. After a thorough exploration of the city, they dined at 
the hotel, with about fifty ofi&cers of the Secession army, and 
the elder brother took the last stage for "Washington, which he 
reached that night without any striking adventure. The 
younger brother, Charles, had tarried, to accomplish his pur- 
pose of seizing the flag which covered the house, and which 
Jackson, its proprietor, insolently told Mr. Fuller, * no d — d 
Yanhee ever would see come down I" As Mr. Fuller hailed 
from Boston, the taunt had made him resolved that a Yankee 
wou"'.d not only see it down, but that he himself would be the 



OF THE WAR. 101 

very person to take it down. So it was aiTanged by the 
brothers that Charles should stay at the hotel all night, while 
W. J. went to Washington, and then pulled down the river to 
the sloop of war, Pawnee^ which lay off Alexandria, with guna 
shotted and men ready for any emergency. With the officers 
of the Pawnee he concerted to answer his brother's signals, and 
to offer his aid when lie should plunge into the river, after 
seizing the flag. 

The hotel, a large four-story building, was filled with Seces- 
sion officers and men. Mr. Fuller had a room assigned him in 
the main building, from the roof of which the flag-staff ran up 
through an open scuttle. After tea he groped his way toward 
the roof, and found the upper doors locked. He then climbed 
the.nearest window, eight or ten feet above the stairway, and 
found it nailed down. He bought a hammer at a hardware 
store, went back, and drew the nails. Being a perfect gym- 
nast, and active as a cat, he expected to climb to the roof by 
the spout, but this proved rotten as paper, and compelled him 
to abandon the attempt He next searched about the city and 
found a locksmith, whom he told that he wanted a bunch of 
keys to open a closet. The man offered to go with him and fit 
the lock, but Mr. Fuller " did not see it" in that light He 
said he would not trouble him to go, but would take a bunch 
of keys, and leave five dollars deposit for their return. 

Armed with ten keys, he returned to the hotel, watched like 
a cat for his opportunity, and, when the coast was clear, 
ascended to the upper story, and tried his keys. Six of them 
were tried unsuccessfully, and the seventh had turned the lock, 
when he was nearly surprised by a party of soldiers who came 
up the stairs. He rushed into a sort of dark closet adjoining, 
secreted himself imder a mattress, and waited with breathless 
anxiety until they passed iuto the next room, where they soon 
became absorbed in a lively game of " poker," at five cents 
" ante ;" he then went back, unlocked the door, felt his way in 
the dark to the flag-staff, tried the signal halyards, found that 
everything worked beautifully, and that he was sure, at least, 
of hauling down the flag. He mounted to the roof, and took 



102 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

a general survey of tlie premises. This was about eiglit o'clock 
in the evening ; the streets were full of citizens and troopers, 
and the full moon shone bright as day. He was again alarmed 
by a party of soldiers mounting the stairs, and feared that the 
slight lowering and raising of the flag, made when he was trying 
the halyards, had been observed from the streets. lie stood be- 
hind the door, determined to jump by the first comers, and over 
the heads of those coming after, and make a iiin for the dock, 
some four or five blocks off, jumj) in and swim to the Pawnee. 
Happily the troops went into another room. He then went 
toward the river to alter the moorings of a small vessel, so 
that her change of position might signify to his brother, that a 
boat could approach within hail ; but was turned back by sen- 
tinels at every street approaching the river ; the whole shore 
was guarded. He then determined to go back to the hotel, 
haul down the flag, and trust to the chapter of accidents. After 
a careful reconnoissance, at about ten o'clock, when everybody's 
attention was engaged by the passing of three cavalry com- 
panies, he hauled down the flag, cut the halyards and made 
them fast to the elect, that they might not be observed swing- 
ing loosely. To his horror he discovered that he had caught 
an "elephant." The flag was over thirty feet long, and about 
fifteen feet wide. He took off his coat, vest, and pants, and 
commenced winding the flag about his body. To use his own 
expression, he thought he never should get it all coiled away. 
He succeeded, however, by making a sort of Daniel Lambert 
of himself. Tying around him his pants and coat with a cord, 
he effectually hid the piratical emblem. Marching boldly 
down stairs, he got out of the house without exciting suspicion, 
and started on his travels. Critical as was his position, with 
the river bank lined with sentries, and the picket guards ex- 
tended to Long Bridge, where he knew the draw was raised, it 
soon became perilous ■ in the extreme, by a general alarm, 
which was given in consequence of the flag having been mis- 
sed. Patrolmen rushed in every direction to " cut off retreat" 
from the house, yet the fleet-footed Yankee only laughed at 
their pains, for he was safely beyond the square. An old shed 



OF THE WAR. 103 

offered a retreat from the excited street. Into it lie crept, pro- 
posing to lie concealed until the moon should be obscured by 
passing clouds, when- he determined to push for the back 
country, make a circuit above the town, and swim across to 
Ellsworth's Zouave camp, whose fires he could plainly see. 
He saw his brother's boat (with a detachment of twelve men 
from the Massachusetts Fifth) lying off in the middle of the 
river, but dared not hail her, for fear of causing his certain 
arrest. He managed to push from picket to picket, by wary 
advances, at one time lying flat on his back for half-an-hour, 
while the guard was smoking within a few feet of him, until 
he broke cover in the open country, beyond the suburbs, when 
the moon shown out brightly, and he found himself suddenly 
confronted by two sentries. He made a rush to pass them, 
when both of them seized him. He grasped one by the breast 
and threw him to the ground with such violence that he 
wrenched off one of the Virginian army buttons, which he 
afterwai'd wore on his,watcli-guard as a trophy. The other 
sentry dropped his gun and fled ; but a third soldier, a power- 
ful man, clinched him from behind, and, after a brief but fierce 
struggle, he was hopelessly a prisoner. He retained his pres- 
ence of mind, and by ready wit and fertility of invention saved 
himself from personal violence. 

His captor proved to be Jackson, who, at first indignant at 
the theft, was so pleased with the nonchalance of the Yankee 
as to be disarmed of his anger ; and he marched the prisoner 
back to the hotel in perfect good humor. Fuller was permited 
to retire to his room on his parole not to escape. Jackson re- 
marked that he was " too smart and decent for a miserable 
Yankee." Fuller tried the power of money, but the rank 
rebel replied that " it could not be bought for $10,000" — that 
" old Lincoln had threatened to take it down, and he wanted 
to see him do it." 

After a night of anxious unrest, Mr. Fuller came down to 

breakfast, and found that everybody was observing him and 

pointing him out as the " d — d Yankee" who had hauled down 

the flag. He sauntered through the city, made small par- 

14 



104 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

chases of tobacco, &c., in the deserted stores, and went to a 
secession meeting at night. One of the speakers alluded very 
feelingly to the imperishable glory which covered the Stai'3 
and Stripes, and related with thrilling pathos how his father, 
a veteran of eighty years, still clung to them. At this point 
Fuller's patriotic feeling overcame his prudence ; he clapped his 
hands loudly in applause, when the whole meeting, electrified 
by the speaker, applauded to the echo. But the excitability 
of " the Yankee" caused the crowd to glower at him so fero- 
ciously that he concluded " to beat a retreat rather than be 
borne down in front or outflanked." 

The detention of Charles caused gi'cat apprehensions for his 
safety. Arranging with the officers of the Pawnee for the co- 
operation of its guns and marines in event of his (W. J.'s) de- 
tention, he pushed down to Alexandria from the Long Bridge, 
"Wednesday morning. After much negotiation, and the mena- 
cing position assumed by the sloop-of-war, Charles was released 
on Thursday and given over to Commander Rowan, of the 
Pawnee. Arrangements had been thoroughly made to assault 
and burn the city, had the Fullers been detained. Several 
companies of the Massachusetts Fifth took a solemn vow that 
they would take the city, " orders or no orders," and Ells- 
worth's " boys" were " in the ring." But the orders would have 
been given. On the night of Thursday, Mr. Fuller, sure of co- 
operation by water, again tried to take the flag ; but it was 
guarded by two soldiers, sleeping in the attic, and watched in- 
cessantly by sentinels outside. So he contented himself with 
taking the flag which hung up in the hall. This he wound 
round his person, and succeeded in bringing away with him. 

The elder brother had arranged a " seizure" of his own — • 
thus to anticipate Charles and snatch the trophy from him, or 
at least to insure its certain capture as well as the capture of 
A lexandria itself ! The story runs : W. J. Fuller, in com- 
mand of a detachment of twelve sailors from Captain Ward- 
well's company, under Lieutenants Stoddard and Williams, 
determined to go round the Pawnee, and then pull straight to 
shore, answering any hail with — "boat from the Pawnee." 



OP THE WAR. 105 

He knew tlie fears of the city, troops and all, that her guns 
could level the place in thirty minutes. He intended to take 
half his men, seize the sentries, march openly to the hotel, de- 
mand the flag, his brother, and the unconditional surrender of 
the troops and the city. But this pretty scheme was vetoed 
b}'' the Commander. It was, of course, not in the Commander- 
in-Chief's programme of operations ; but was, nevertheless, a 
characteristic Yankee invention. 

In conceiving this assault, Mr. Fuller was but embodying 
the ideas which he enunciated at the great demonstration in 
New York city. May 20th — on which occasion he was one of 
the chosen speakers. He said, among other stirring things : 

" Let the Government forever discard its ' do little and drift 
along' policy, and give the people action, action — prompt, vig- 
orous, energetic, crushing, bloody and decisive. Let it quit 
searching musty law tomes for precedents. Make precedents. 
The idea of the Government being harnessed down by the iron 
bands of formula and delay when dealing with, revolutionists, 
traitors and rebels, is criminal and absurd. Inter anna leges 
silent. When General Jackson threatened to hang Calhoun, he 
was told by his Attorney-General that there was no law for it 
His reply was, ' If you can't find law for me, I will appoint an 
Attorney-General who can.' If the Government will adopt a 
vigorous policy, the law for everything it does will be found 
in the hearts of the people. The eyes of the people are upon 
the Government. They cannot wait its tardy action. They 
will reward energy, and will hold it to a strict accountability 
for imbecility." 



X 



A NOETHEEN BREEZE FEOM THE SOUTH. 

The Great Eebellion called fortli many splendid efforts of 
oratory. It is probable that no people on the face of the globe 
are more constantly associated with the sublime elements of 
country, which are supposed to iiifluence the minds of men to 
sublime expression, than Americans ; yet, it has frequently 
been remarked by ourselves, as well as by forcignei-s, that 
no country produces so few truly eloquent orators. The 
experience of the past few months proves that the talent for 
eloquent expression is wide-spread, and that only the occasion 
is wanting to call it forth. The Congress of 1860-61 gave birth 
to many supurb declamations : — indeed, the entire session was 
one succession of speeches and argumentative efforts, which 
alone, would immortalize . the occasion. We may point to 
them, in confidence, as a living evidence of the extraordinary 
mental resources of the American people, as the war which 
followed was an evidence of their tremendous physical 
resources. 

Our volume of "Incidents and Anecdotes" scarcely permits 
the reproduction of these oratorical efforts ; yet, some of them 
were made under such peculiar circumstances as to become 
incidents of the struggle. Such were the impassioned speeches 
made in the Virginia Convention and General Assembly by 
the Union men ; in Tennessee, by the fearless men of the hills ; 
in Kentucky, by the worthy sons of " Old Kentuck" sires. 
Few of these, however, were reported, much to the loss of our 
patriotic literature ; only sketches were placed on record, to 
outline what was, at the moment, a splendid creation. 



OF THE WAK. 107 

One made by Mr. Rossean — afterwards a brilliant General 
in the Union army — in tlie Kentncky Senate, May 21st, 1861, 
was reported. It came at a critical moment in the destiny of 
his State, when she hunsi: in the meshes of the miserable 
"neutralit}'," which was nothing more nor less than an attitnde 
of defiance of the General Government, by refusing to honor 
its call for troops, and arming the State to resist any occupa- 
tion of its soil by Federal troops, prosecuting the war for the 
Union. Against this attitude the Senator protested, and finally 
came out, with his splendid declamation, against the revolu- 
tion and in behalf of a hearty support of the General Govern- 
ment in its contest with treason. Our yonng men will find in 
the Kentuckian's words and thoughts incentives to patriotism 
and honor, and to them we sincerely commend the extracts 
which we may feel at liberty to give : 

" Mr. Speaker: Permit me to tell you, sir, what I think of 
this whole atrocious scheme of Secession. I spealc for myself 
onl}^, and am alone responsible for what I say ; and I thank 
God that I may still speak what I think on Kentucky soiL 
Yes, sir, good, brave old Kentucky, my mother, *my own 
native land,' is stilLfree. There is no reign of terror here. "We 
still have free speech, a free press, and, as yet, we are free menu 
Kentucky is true and loyal to the Government. She still rests 
her head in peace and security upon the fond breast of her 
mother — the Union ; and there may she rest forever! She has 
called upon her gallant sons to rally around her, and beat off 
the Vandals who would tear her away from her earliest and 
holiest associations, and bear her to certain destruction. 

" Kentucky is in a false position. I felt it from the first. 
Yet, she having assumed a neutral attitude, I felt it to be my 
duty to stand by her, and I have faithfully done so. I am 
willing still to stand by the position of Kentucky, if we can do 
BO in peace and security. But the position is an awkward 
one, and may be more awkward yet before our difficulties are 
ended. The Union is threatened ; the Government is threat- 
ened by those who have not one well-grounded complaint to 
make against it — by those wl lo have controlled its destinies for 



108 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

years. I denounce the effort, and those who make it. I say 
it is wrong — infamous ! and, if successful, it must entail ruia 
upon us and ours. We see the work of mischief going on, 
and quietly sit by with folded arms while it is done. 

" Kentucky has as much interest in the Union as any other 
State. She loves it as devotedly, and shares its benefits and 
blessings in common with her sister States. She owes it her 
allegiance, and her aid. Her people work for the Union ; they 
talk for it; they pray for its preservation; yet they stand idly 
by, and let others, who have no more interest in it than them- 
selves, defend it, and save it if they can. It is in a death 
struggle for existence, yet we have not a hand to raise in its 
defence. You say that it is the best Government that ever 
existed on earth — it has ever protected and never oppressed 
you. But we are told that this is a fratricidal war — a wicked 
war ! "Well, who began it ? Who caused it ? Who attempted 
to break up the Government ? Who set the will of the people 
at defiance, and overturn the " best Government on earth ? " 
Let recently passed events, and those which are daily being 
enacted, answer. 

* * ^ " The truth is, our duty at first was to stand by I 

our Government, and protect and defend it. If fit to live 
under, it was entitled to our respect and confidence and alle- 
giance. If unfit, it should have been abandoned at once, and 
another formed more perfect. But while we owe our alle- 
giance to it, let us acknowledge it like true men, and not turn 
our backs vipon its greatest peril. We should not do this if 
we desire its preservation. We should stand by it like men, 
or pull it down at once. But we should not stand by and see 
others pull it down over our heads against our will to the 
destruction of our liberties, and say : 

" ' We oppose you. We love the Govcrnincnt. It is the Government 
of our fathers ; bought with their blood, and bequeathed to us. It is 
the best Government on earth, and in its destruction we see ruin to us 
and ours ; but as you and we live in Shivc States, go on and do as yoa 
please. Wc will not resist you. Kuin us if you will.' 

"And so never lift a hand to save us and our children tho 



OF THE TVAB. 109 

blessings of liberty. In my heart I do not approve of tliis 
course, and wliat I do not approve, no power on earth shall 
make me say, I am for the old Constitution of Washington 
and his compeers. For the old flag, the Stars and Stripes. 
God bless them ; and I am against all factions that would take 
them from me. It matters not who they are or whence they 
come. Whether they come from England, France, Massa- 
chusetts or South Carolina. If they would destroy the Gov- 
ernment of our fathers, I am against them. No matter what 
may be the pretext. No, sir, I am for the Union, and I am 
willing to defend it by any and all proper means. 

" Our Government is the best in the world. It has answered 
well all the ends for which governments are :;iade. We all 
know this. It has oppressed no man, nor has it burdened U3 
a feather s weight. It has brought us nothing but blessings. 
Under it we have been happy, prosperous and free. What 
more can we ask ? All that Government can do, our Govern- 
ment has done for us. We have been free, as no nation was 
ever free before ; we have prospered as no nation ever jorospered 
before, and we have rested in peace and security. Yet all 
this would not do. Mr. Lincoln was elected, and corrupt poli- 
ticians lost their places. They had controlled the Government 
in their own way for years. When they lost their power, they 
declared that the Government was con-upt and ojopressivc, and 
that they would destroy it. They robbed it of its arms and 
munitions of war, sending them South ; they involved the 
Government in a debt of nearly a hundred millions of dollars ; 
robbed the treasury ; and thus leaving the Government im- 
poverished and distracted, they commenced the atrocious busi- 
ness of secession. They had lost the offices, and they thought 
it necessary to create new ones for the benefit of the defunct 
politicians, and they did it. This is the grand secret of the 
whole affair. Had they retained their grip upon the offices, 
you had never heard of secession. All our losses, all our 
troubles and suffering, are the legitimate results of secession. 
We must bear all, we must submit to all this in silence, that 
those disappointed politicians may be presidents, ministers, 



110 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and high ofBciuls. Their day was ended by the election of 
Lincohi. They knew this, and seceded — made new offices and 
filled them ! 

" Behold the results of secession ! Distress and ruin stare 
men in the face. Strong men, honest and industrious men, 
cannot get bread for their wives and children. The widow 
and the orphan, helpless and destitute, are starving. In all 
the large cities the suffering is intense ; work is not to be 
obtained ; and those who live by their labor get no money. 
Property of every description has depreciated until it is almost 
worthless. In the Seceded States, Union men are driven 
penniless from their homes, or hanged ; and all this, that 
* peaceable secession' may go on, and that politicians may fill 
offices ! And, after you gentlemen bring all these calamities 
npon us, you flilsely say that ' Lincoln did it,' and that we 
Union men arc Abolitionists, and aid him ! I tell you that 
Lincoln has not done it. lie was elected President by Tjour 
help. You ran a candidate for the Presidency, that the Demo- 
cratic party might be divided, and Lincoln elected. That 
was your purpose^ and you accomplished it ; and now you 
have elected Lincoln thus, you must break up the Govern- 
ment because he is elected ! This is your programme — deny 
it who can ! 

*' South Carolina was irritated at the presence of Major 
Anderson and fifty-five men at Fort Sumter ; so irritated that 
she could not bear it. She tried to starve hira to death ; she 
tried to knock his head off, and burn him up ; she bombarded 
the people's fort; shot into the flag of our v^iv., r-nmcnt, and 
drove our soldiers from the place. It was not Mr. Lincoln's 
fort ; not his flag, nor his soldiers, but ours. Yet after all 
these outrages and atrocities, South Carolina comes with 
embraces for us, saying : ' Well, we tried ; we intended to kill 
that brother Kentuckian of yours ; tried to storm him, knock 
his brains out, and burn him up. Don't you love us for it ? 
Won't you fight with ns, and for ns, and help us overthrow 
your Government ?' Was ever a request so outrageously 
unnatural ; so degi*ading to our patriotism ? And yet, Mr. 



OF THE WAR. HI 

Speaker, there were those among us who rejoiced of the result, 
and termed the assault upon their own fort and the captui-e of 
their own flag and their own soldiers, a heroic victory ! 

" Mr. Speaker, I am sick and tired of all this gabble about 
irritation over the exercise by others of their undoubted right ; 
and I say once for all to you secession gentlemen, that we 
Union men know our rights ; intend to maintain them. If 
you get irritated about it, why — get irritated ! Snuff and 
snort yourselves into a rage ; go into spasms if you will ; die 
if you want to, and can't stand it — who cares ? What right 
have you to get irritated because we claim equal rights and 
equality with you ? We are for peace ; we desire no war, and 
deprecate collision. All we ask is peace. We don't intend 
you an}^ harm. Wc don't want to hurt you, and don't intend 
you shall injure us if we can help it. We beg of you to let us 
live in peace under the good old Government of our fathers. 
We only ask that. Why keep us ever on the alert watching 
you, to prevent you from enslaving us by a destruction of that 
Government ? 

* * * " Kentucky is an armed neutral, it is said. I 
submit, with others, to that position. I hope that circum- 
stances may not drive us from it. I hope that our secession 
friends will be, in fact, neutral. If we remain so, it is said we 
shall have peace. I hope so ; but the neutrality that fights 
all on one side I do not understand. Troops leave Kentucky 
in broad daylight, and our Governor sees them going to fight 
against our own Government, yet nothing is said or done to 
prevent them. Is this to be our neutrality ? If it is, I am 
utterly opposed to it. If we assume a neutral position, let us 
be neutral in fact. It is as little as we can do. 

" Our Government, constitutionally administered, is entitled 
to our support, no matter who administers it. If we will not 
support it, and yet enjoy its blessings, in Heaven's name let us 
not war against it, nor allow our people to do so. Let us be 
true to our position, whatever it may be. We are nuUifjn'ng 
at any rate. Our Government has not objected to it. But 
who can look an honest man in the face, while professing 
15 



112 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

neutrality, refusing to help liis Government to preserve ita 
existence, 3'et secretly and traitorously warring against it? 
For one, sir, I'll none of it. Away with it. Let us be men — 
honest men, or pretend to be nothing but vagabonds. 

" I hear it said that Kentucky will go out of the Union ; 
that if she goes anywhere, she will go South, &c., &;c. Mr. 
Speaker, let me tell 3'ou, sir, Kentucky will not ' go out' She 
will not stampede. That has been tried. Secessionists must 
invent something new in the way of secession appliances before 
they can either frighten or ' drag' Kentucky out of the Union. 
I tell you sensation gentlemen that your exciting events have 
ceased to effect us. Try something else. Get up a fight at 
Cairo, that you may get us to side with you. That is your 
game, and }^u will play it whenever you think you can succeed 
at it. You tried to scare us, but you failed in your purpose. 
And if you illegally and against right assault Cairo, I hope 
every man of you will get his head knocked or be taken 
prisoner, and that the Cairo folks will never permit you to 
come to Kentucky again. That's what I wish, and what I 
believe would happen in such an event. 

" But we won't ' go out' — have not the least notion of it in 
the world. You must take us out according to law and right, 
or take us dead. Believe this, and act accordingly. It would 
be better for all of us. We shall be but too happy to keep 
peace, but we cannot leave the Union of our fathers. 

" When Kentucky goes down, it will be in blood. Let that 
be understood. She wdll not go as other States have gone. 
Let the responsibility rest on you, where it belongs. It is all 
your work, and whatever happens will be your work. We 
have more right to defend our Government than you have to 
overturn it. Many of us are sworn to support it. Let our 
good Union brethren of the South stand their ground. I know 
that many patriotic hearts in the Seceded States still beat 
warmly for the old Union — the old flag. The time will come 
when we shall all be together again. The politicians are 
having their day. The people will yet have theirs. I have an 
abiding confidence in the right^ and I know that this secession 



OF THE WAP.. ■ 113 

movement is all wrong. There is, in fact, not a single substan- 
tial reason for it. If there is, I should be glad to hear it ; our 
Government has never oppressed us with a feather's weight. 
The direst oppression alone could justify what has brought all 
our i^resent suffering upon us. May God, in his mercy, save 
our glorious Republic !" 

There is in this noble address the impassioned eloquence of 
the patriot and the incorruptible citizen. In reading it the 
vision of Patrick Henry rises up before us as he appeared to 
the Virginia House of Delegates when he uttered his ever- 
memorable anathema against King George. It was such 
declarations as those which fell from Rosseau's lips — as those 
which fell from the pen of the incorruptible Joseph Holt — as 
those which the sage and patriot John J. Crittenden event- 
ually avowed — that saved Kentucky to the Union and pre- 
served her hills and vallfes from becoming the battle fields of 
the horrid struggle to achieve the independence of a Slave 
Dominion. 



XI. 



'McCLELLANS FIRST CAMPAIGlSr. 

The appointment of Captain McClellan to the responsible 
position of Major-General of the Volunteers of the State of 
Ohio (April 24th, 1861), was soon followed by the General 
Government's creation of the "Department of the "West," over 
which he was placed in superior command. It comprised the 
States of. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, "Western Pennsylvania, and 
Western Virginia. 

The proposed assemblage (June 14th) of the Wheeling Con- 
vention, for re-organizing the State of Virginia as a State of 
the Union, rendered it necessary to arrange a campaign in 
Western Virginia, both to expel the rebel armies from that 
section, and to give stability to the new State Government 



114 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The ]>romu]gation by McClellan (May 2Gtli) of the following 
proclaniation announced the movements on foot ; 

" IIead-quaiiteks, Depaktment of Ohio, ) 
CiNCiiNNATi, May 2Gth, 18G1. J 

" To Hie Union Men of Western Virgbii/i : 

" ViKGiNiANS : — The General Government has long enough endured 
the machinations ofa few factions rebels in your midst. Armed traitors 
have in vain endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty at 
the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt to deprive you of tho 
exercise of your dearest rights, they now seek to inaugurate a reign of 
terror, and thus force you to yield to their schemes, and submit to the 
yoke of the traitorous conspiracy, dignified by the name of the Southern 
Confederacy. They arc destroying the property of citizens of your State, 
and ruining your magnificent railways. The General Government haa 
heretofore carefully aljstained from sending troops across the Ohio, or 
even from porting them along its banks, although frequently urged by 
many of your prominent citizens to do so. 

" It determined to await the result of the State election, desirous that 
no one might be able to say, that the slightest effort had been made 
from this side to infiuence the free expression of your opinions, although 
the many agencies brought to bear upon you by the rebels v,-ere well 
known. You have now shown, under the most adverse circumstances, 
that the great mass of the people of Western Virginia are true and loyal 
to that beneficent Government under which we and our fathers have 
lived so long. As soon as the result of tho election was known, the 
traitoi-s commenced their work of destruction. The General Govern- 
ment can not close its cars to the demand you have made for assistance. 
I have ordered troops to cross the river. They come as your friends 
and brothers; as enemies only to armed rebels who are preying upon 
you. Your homes, your families, and your property are safe under our 
protection. All your rights shall be religiously respected. 

" Notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce 
you to believe our advent among you will be signalized by an interfcr- 
enoe with your slaves, understand one thing clearly : Not only will wo 
abstain from all such interference, but we will, on the contrary, with an 
iron hand, crush any attempt at insurrection on their j^art. 

" Now that we are in your midst, I call upon you to fly to arms and 
support the General Government ; sever the connection that binds you 
to ti'aitors ; proclaim to the world that the faith and loyalty so long 
boasted by the Old Dominion arc still 2)rcserved in Western Virginia, 
and that you remain true to the Stars and Stripes. 

" G. B. McCLELLAN, Major-General Commandiug." 



OF THE WAR. 115 

Tins document gave tlie proper reasons for the contemplated 
movement To Lis troops, then cantoned in Eastern Ohio, he 
addressed a stirring address, well calculated to win the confi- 
dence of the people among whom thej were to move. It 
read : 

" Soldiers : — You are ordered to cross tlie frontier, and to enter on 
the soil of Virginia. Your mission is to restore peace and confidence ; 
to protect the majesty of tlic law, and to secure our brethren from the 
grasp of armed traitors. I place under the safeguard of j'our honor the 
persons and property of the Virginians. I know you will respect their 
feelings, and all their rights, and will preserve the strictest discipline. 

" Remember, that each one of you holds in his keeping the honor of 
Ohio and the Union. If you arc called to overcome armed 02)position, 
I know your courage is equal to the task. Remember that your only 
foes are armed traitors. Show mercy even to them, when in your power, 
for many of them are misguided. 

" When, under your protection, the loyal men of Western Virginia 
have been enabled to organize and form until they can protect them- 
selves, you can return to your hoihes, with the proud satisfaction of 
having preserved a gallant j^eople from destruction." 

Prior to the issue of these documents, everything had been 
arranged for the advance. Colonel Kelly, in command at 
Cam.p Carlisle, in Ohio, opposite Wheeling, gave the word of 
command for the onward movement, Sunday evening, (May 
26th), by reading the Proclamation and Address. 

The announcement was received with wild huzzas by the 
troops, the First Virginia Yolunteers. Monday morning they 
poured over into Virginia eleven hundred strong, and, at seven 
o'clock, were en route for Grafton, a place of some strategic 
importance, lying at the junction of the Baltimore and Ohio 
and the Northwestern Virginia railways. The First Virginia 
was followed immediately by the Sixteenth Ohio Volunteers, 
Colonel Irvine. The Fourteenth Ohio, Colonel Steadman, 
crossed the river at Marietta, and occupied Parkersburg, the 
western terminus of the Northwestern railroad. 

Tlie rebels, then in possession of Grafton, designed a descent 
on Wheeling ; but, hastily evacuated on the night of Mon« 
day, having previously destroyed railway bridges at various 



116 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

points to tlie west of Grafton. The Federal forces did not fully 
occupy the place until Thursday morning, when the two regi- 
ments, with all their baggage and trains, took possession. The 
rebels withdrew to Phillippi, where they resolved to make a 
stand. The Federal advance was soon joined by the Fifteenth 
Ohio, and the Sixth Indiana, Colonel Crittenden, regiments, 
the Seventh Indiana, Colonel Dumont, while the forces landed 
at Parkersburg had pushed up the railroad to a conjunction. 
The attack on Phillippi was not delayed — McClellan having 
"ordered the enemy to be surprised by a forced march. On 
the night of June 2d, the Federal forces (four regiments) 
started for the point of attack by two routes — one division by 
way of Webster, under command of Colonel Dumont, con- 
sisted of eight comprinies of the Seventh Indiana; four com- 
panies of the Fourth Ohio, Colonel Steadman, with his artillery, 
under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sturgis, assisted and 
directed by Colonel Lander ; four companies of the Sixth 
Indiana, Colonel Crittenden. The other division consisted of 
the First Virginia, and companies from the Sixteenth Ohio and 
Seventh Indiana regiments, under command of Colonel Kelly, 
which moved east, by way of Thornton, thence south to Phil- 
lippi (twenty-two miles) by a forced march. The darkness was 
intense, the mud deep, and the storm of wind and rain unceas- 
ing. The division of Kelly did not reach the enemy's position 
at four o'clock — the time indicated for the conjunction and 
combined attack — owing to the dreadful fatigues of the, march. 
His forces were to strike the enemy's rear, and while Colonels 
Dumont and Lander pressed the front, to cut off the retreat, 
and thus " bag" the entii-e rebel force. Dumont arrived at the 
appointed time, and- disposed his forces for battle. It soon 
became evident that the rebels had discovered the movements 
of their foe, and were preparing to run. Lander not deeming 
it prudent longer to await Colonel Kelly's appearance, ordered 
the artillery to open. The Associate Press account of the 
fight read : 

Simultaneously with the roar of the first gun, Colonel Kelly, 
at the head of his command, came in sight across the river 



OF THE WAR. 117 

below tlie camp, and, comprehending tlie position of affairs, lie 
rushed forward in the direction of the camp. Meanwhile the 
battery, having got accurate range, played upon the camp with 
marked effect, tearing through the tents and houses at a fearful 
rate. This the chivalry could not stand, and they scattered 
like rats from a burning barn, after firing at random a volley 
which did no damage. 

Colonel Kelly's command was close after them, and, at the 
same time, Colonel Lander's force came rushing down the hill 
-yelling like Indians. After chasing them a few miles, the 
already exhausted men returned to the evacuated camp, to 
learn the painful fact that their victory, though complete, was 
dearly bought!^ Colonel Kelly, who, with bravery amounting 
to rashness, was foremost from first to la:;t, was rallying his 
men in the upper part of the town, the enemy having all 
apparently fled, when he fell by a shot from a concealed foe. 
The assassin was an Assistant- Quartermaster in the Confederate 
force, named Sims. He was immediately seized. 

A coiTespondent who was present thus referred to Colonel 
Lander's ride down the hill on which the artillery was posted, 
and his subsequent achievement : 

" The hill on which the artillery was planted is both high 
and steep, and it would be dangerous for an inexperienced 
rider to walk a horse down the slope toward the pike. Seeing 
Dumont's right rushing for the bridge, closely followed by the 
Ohio Fourteenth, (Colonel Steadman,) and supposing the pas- 
sage of the bridge would be disputed, he grasped a revolver 
in each hand, plunged spurs into the flanks of his horse, and 
dashed. down the hill, over fences, and stumps, and stones, and 
dead timber, through a wheat field, to the pike, and swept 
past the column like the wind, looking (as one who saw him 
says) more like a demon than a man. Colonel Steadman, in 
the excitement of the moment, had advanced some three hun- 
dred yards ahead of his command as Lander passed. * Go 
back. Colonel Steadman — go back to your column,' said he, 
* or you will be cut off !' forgetting that he was exposed to the 
same danger. 



118 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

« 

" Bj tliis time Colonel Kelly had arrived and attacked tlie 
rear of the rebels. Colonel Lander now rode alone across the 
town to join Kelly, but just after he had passed Kelly, a 
rebel brought Kelly down by a shot through the lungs. 
Lander at once charged among the enemy and chased the rebel 
into an angle of a fence, where he guarded him until the 
infantry came up. An unsuccessful charge was made by a 
few of the rebels to rescue the prisoner. On Kelly's men 
arriving they were determined to bayonet the prisoner, but 
were prevented by Colonel Lander, against their urgent remon- 
strances. The Quartermaster of the Virginia regiment took 
charge of him, becoming responsible for his safety. Colonel 
Lander maintained that the man had thrown down his arms 
and yielded himself to him as a prisoner of war ; that if he 
had killed Kelly he would have done it in actual fight, and 
after our troops had commenced the engagement, and that he 
should protect him with his life." 

The enemy retreated, with a loss of all his baggage, tents, 
&c., to Beverly, finally taking up position on Laurel Hill, 
which he proceeded to fortify. The campaign which followed 
was thus chronicled by one who participated in it : 

" The rebel forces, after the battle of Philippi, lay at Laurel 
Hill, near Beverly, in a strong position, which commanded 
our road to the southern portion of the State, and in which 
they had fortified themselves with great labor and care. From 
this point they had repeatedly threatened us with attack, and 
our officers felt very eager to repeat the action by which the 
campaign had been so successfully opened at Philippi. A 
plan was formed, therefore, to move down from our head- 
quarters at Grafton and capture or destroy the enemy. The 
fortifications at Laurel Hill had, however, gi-eatly strengthened 
a position of the most advantageous kind, and the attack was 
not to be lightly undertaken. 

" On the side of the Laurel Mountain lies a fine, broad and 
cleared plateau, which afforded ample room for an encamp- 
ment and a parade-ground in the rear. The slopes in front 
down to the valley were fortified with a more extended system 



' OF THE WAR. 119 

of intrencliments, wliicli our men are now engaged in destroy- 
ing, and which were so complete as almost to defy a direct 
attack by any force at our command. It was resolved, there- 
fore, to combine with the direct assault a movement in the 
enemy's rear, for which the shape of the country afforded pecu- 
liar facilities. Stretching away, north-east and south-west, lay 
the western range of the Alleghanies, impassable without great 
difficulty for an army, and even then passable only at certain 
points. At the foot of the mountain was the main road, which 
gives access to Southern Virginia on this western slope of the 
range. By this route alone could the enemy receive reen- 
forcements or supplies, and this fact determined the scheme of 
operations. To occupy his attention by a direct attack in 
front, white another body of our forces should go around into 
his rear,- and cut off communication with his base, would place 
him at our mercy, and enable us to assail him in his intrench- 
ments with an overpowering force, and in both directions at 
once, or else to starve him out, should it be deemed best not 
to conclude the affair by a direct engagement. 

" The plan thus formed was executed by the two divisions 
of General McClellan's army. The main body of ten thou- 
sand, led by himself, went round by Clarksburg and Buck- 
hannon, on the west of the enemy ; while the other and smaller 
division of four thousand, under General Morris, made the 
direct attack, which was to hold the rebels in check on the 
north, and occupy them while the former force should be get- 
ting into their rear. 

*' General McClellan, after a sharp skirmish at Buckhannon, 
approached the rear of the enemy, which, however, he found 
strongly fortified at Rich Mountain, and defended by a force 
of some two or thfee thousand under Colonel Pegram. Send- 
ing General Rosecrans with a force of some three thousand to 
assail them in the rear, while he was himself to attack them in 
front, he hoped to capture the enemy entirely ; but' some want 
of co-operation took place, which interfered with the complete- 
ness of the result General Rosecrans reached the rear of tho 
mountains, which was held by some three himdred rebels, 
16 



120 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

but did not succeed in communicating to General McClellan 
the information that he was ready to attack, and the command 
of McClellan lay inactive for many hours, waiting for thia 
intelligence. Hence, though the attack of Rosecrans waa 
entirely successful upon the small force before him, Colonel 
Pegram took the alarm, and silqntly moved off' with his main 
body to join Garnett at Laurel Hill. He found it impossible, 
however, to do so, and after lying in the woods for two days, 
utterly destitute of provisions, was obliged to surrender with 
all those of his troops who had not succeeded in getting away. 
This successful move captured or killed about one thousand or 
perhaps twelve hundred rebels. 

" Meanwhile, the division of General Morris was cautiously 
making its way down upon the enemy from Grafton and Phi- 
lippi. The command of the advance brigade was given by 
General Morris to his chief engineer officer, Cajjtain Benham, 
of the United States Topographical Engineers, an officer of 
great experience and skill, whose judgment had before been 
tested by the conduct of several difficult operations. Captain 
Benham had thoroughly explored and mapped the country, 
and his accurate delineations of the topography had given 
essential aid in the planning of the expedition. When General 
McClellan's order was received to march upon Laurel Hill, 
Cajptain Benham arranged the plan of the march, and started 
at two A. M. on the 7tli of July. By skillfully availing him- 
self of the peculiarities of the country, he avoided the neces- 
sity of thrice fording a stream, as had been supposed necessary 
by the commanding General, in order to avoid defiles where 
effective resistance might be offered ; and thus brought the 
army to its designated position some two Hours earlier than 
would have been possible otherwise, to the complete surprise 
of the enemy. Here a position was chosen at Beelington, on 
the opposite side of the valley from Laurel Hill, and within 
rifle-shot of the enemy's intrenchments ; and, notwithstanding 
repeated attacks and skirmishes with the enemy, it was success- 
fully fortified and held till the approach of the other column. 

" Upon the overthrow of Colonel Pegram at Rich Moun- 



OF THE WAR. 121 

tain, General Garnett, tlie rebel commander, began to under- 
stand the extent of his danger, and made haste to extricate 
himself from a position in which he could no longer fight with 
advantage, nor even retreat v/ith success. He left his intrench- 
ments, and moved at once south toward Beverly, hoping, bj 
great expedition, to reach that place l^fore General McClellaa 
should arrive. But by the time he had got within a few miles 
of it the fugitives from Pegram's corps informed him that the 
effort was hopeless, Beverly was occiipied in force by the 
Union troops. His only remaining resource was to turn upon 
his steps, and retrace his path to Leedsville, where another 
turnpike road branched off to the north-east, on the other side 
of Laurel Mountain. Pursuing this route with all speed, he 
passed Leedsville the same afternoon, and pressed on along the 
base of the mountains down the Cheat River, hoping to find 
some practicable path across the mountains into the valley of 
Virginia. Throwing away, therefore, all superfluous baggage, 
he fled rapidly, and soon turned off from the main road into 
a narrow path along the mountains, in which pui'suit might be 
more easily obstructed. Here he closed the narrow path after 
him, and filled every defile through which he passed^ by fell- 
ing the largest trees into and across it. 

" His fligiit, however, which took place on Thursday even- 
ing, was ascertained on Friday morning by some of our men 
at Laurel Hill ; and, on word being sent to General Morris, he 
gave immediate orders for pursuit, though his force was greatly 
inferior to that of the enemy. Following with the somewhat 
larger portion himself, he sent Captain Benham forward with 
the advance division, giving him orders to press forward after 
the rebels as far as Leedsville, secure the ford at that place, 
and await his arrival. Captain Benham set out instantly, at 
first with caution, for it migiit be only a feint to draw us on 
into an attack ; but, on reaching the intrenchments, they were 
found entirely deserted, and the Captain had the pleasure to 
be the first officer within the abandoned works. The com- 
mand pressed on to Leedsville and there halted, according to 
orders. This order to halt was unfortunate; had Captain 



122 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Benliam been authorized to advance further, a more effectual 
pursuit might have been made ; but, held back bj positive 
directions, he was compelled to wait — his men under arms and 
ready to resume the pursuit — till General Morris arrived at ten 
P. M. It was then too late to move till morning ; the men 
must have some rest ; and they were allowed a brief slumber 
of three hours, from eleven in the evening till two A. M., when 
the pursuit was eagerly resumed. 

" The pursuit was a memorable one. Captain Benham led, 
with one thousand eight hundred men, composed of Ohio and 
Indiana troops. General Morris followed with the rear. Up 
and down the mountains, through defiles, and over rugged 
ridges, everywhere impeded by the obstructions thrown in the 
way by the flying enemy — the pursuit was pressed with an 
ardor which was not to be repressed. Many men fell behind, 
exhausted with hunger and exertion. 

" At length, after crossing one of the branches of Cheat 
Biver, we saw before us the provision-train of the rebels at rest ; 
but a foolish boy firing his musket set it in motion again in 
full rctreat, and brought out two heavy regiments to protect it, 
before our first regiment could reach the ford. This caused a 
further pursuit of three or four miles, when the train was again 
overtaken half across the stream ; and here General Garnett 
made a vigorous stand for its defense. 

" The Icxiality afforded a fine position to repel our assault. 
Cheat River, in one of its numerous bends, winds here round a 
bluff of fifty or sixty feet high, the lower portion of which is 
covered with a dense growth of laurel, through which it is 
almost impossible to penetrate. On the top of this bluff he 
placed his cannon, which swept our approach to the ford ; 
while his troops were drawn up in line — some two thousand in 
number — on either side of their guns, in a line some four 
hundred feet in length, with the remainder of his force within 
a mile. They were well protected from our fire by a fence, 
which showed only their heads above it, and by numerous 
trees which afforded them covei'. 

" On coming up, Colonel Dumont's men, the Seventh Indi- 



OF THE WAR. 123 

ana regiment, pressed into the stream, crossed it, and attempted 
to scale tlie bluff in front, in face of the enemy's fi: e of mus- 
ketry and artillery, but the steepness of the ascent rendered it 
impossible. When Captain Benham came- up he found the 
men climbing the steep ascent almost on their faces ; and, see- 
ing the difficulty of success, he ordered them down again into 
the stream. On our right was a depression in the bluff, just 
where a ravine came down to the river, and he directed them 
to try the ascent there. They did so, but found the way so 
steep, and so obstructed by the dense cedar roots, that they 
soon found this, too, impossible. Captain Benham tlien ordered 
the regiment to cross the stream, and, keeping in its bed, 
immediately under the bluff, to pass down it to our left, where 
they could gain the road. This happy manoeuvre was imme- 
diately executed. The men passed down the whole front of 
the eneni}^, protected so effectually by. the steepness of the bank 
from his fire, that they emerged on the right of the rebels 
without losing a man ; and, as the head of the column showed 
itself on their Hank, the rebels fled, leaving one of their guns, 
and a number of killed, wounded, and prisoners in our hands. 
" About a quarter of a mile in advance, the river makes 
another turn, and here the enemy a^ain attempted a stand. 
General Garnett himself bravely stood, and tried to gather his 
men around him, but in vain. He then begged for thirty 
skirmishers to go back with him and pick off our officers — as 
we were informed by our prisoners subsequently. A few did 
return with him to the bank of the stream ; but, as we came 
up, they fired a volley and again fled, and left him with only 
a single companion. Our men ran forward to the bank of the 
stream, where a group of three cedars gave them a slight cover, 
and fired upon the fugitives. General Garnett wasstandmg 
with his back to us, trying in vain to rally his men, when he 
received a Minie ball just on the left of the spine. It made a 
teiTible wound, piercing the heart and coming out at the right 
nipple, and the poor General threw up his arms, and with his 
single companion fell dead. Our men passed over, and find- 
ing by the straps on his shoulder that he was an officer of rank, 



124 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

sent word back immediately to the commanding officer. Cap* 
tain Benliam was still at the bluff, caring for the wounded and 
directing the removal of the cannon, but, on receiving tho 
news, he at once rode forward to the spot, and himself first 
identified the body as that of General Garnett, late Majoi 
Garnett, U. S. A. 

" The body, which had remained undisturbed, was carried, 
by Captain Benham's order, into a small log-house, where the 
General's money was taken from his pockets and counted, and, 
with his watch and sword, preserved for his family ; his field- 
telescope, an elegant opera-glass, ajarge map of Virginia, and 
some small sketches of our own positions near Grafton, becama 
the legitimate trophies of the conqueror." 

The enem}^ was utterly broken — hopelessly defeated. Not 
more than two thousand of the five thousand with which Gar- 
nett had commenced his flight, escaped; and these were in 
such a disorganized condition as to be unavailable. Parties 
of them kept coming in to the Union camps for several days. 
They were well received and humanely cared for — hungiy and 
almost naked, as they were in most instances. After recruiting 
them, the lenient policy was adopted of administering the oath 
of allegiance, or of a release on parole. Of course, men base 
enough to take up arms against their country scorned oaths 
and paroles ; and those scoundrels, almost without exception, 
were soon in the ranks of the Confederates. The Union Gen- 
erals were long in discovering that tlie best way to serve a 
rebel was to place him where his honor or oath were not to be 
called into requisition. 

This infamous disregard of oaths and honor was happily 
illustrated in the sarcasm of a Captain in one of the Ohio regi- 
ments. A rattlesnake was caught alive on the mountains and 
brought into camp. After tiring of its presence, its captor 
asked the Captain what he should do with the reptile. " Oh, 
swear him and let him go !" was the curt reply. 

With the destruction of Garnett's army Western Virginia 
was left to pursue its course of reorganization. The Wliccling 
Convention labored zealously and patriotically, heartily en* 



OF THE WAR. 125 

dorsed in their efforts by the vast majority of people in the 
thirty counties west of the Bhie Eidge Mountains. The new 
State soon came up like a Phoenix, and with Governor Pierre- 
pont at its head, became the recognized State of Yirginia. 
Sv ch were the fruits of McClellaii's first campaign. 



XII. 



THE FIRST DISASTER. 

The first real disaster which fell upon the Union arms oc- 
curred at Big Bethel, on York Peninsula, on Monday, June 
10th. Batler, in his report, stated the reasons for the advance 
ordered, as follows : 

" Having learned that the enemy had established an ontpost of some 
strength at a place called Little Bethel, a small church, about eight 
miles from Newport News, and the same distance from Hamilton, from 
whence they were accustomed nightly to advance both on Newport 
News and the picket guards of Hampton to annoy them, and also from 
whence they had come down in small squads of cavalry and taken a 
number of Union men, some of whom had the safeguard and protection 
of the troo25s of the United States, and forced them into the rebel ranks, 
and that they were also gathering up the slaves of citizens who had 
moved away and loft their farms in charge of their negroes, carrying 
them to work in intrcnchments at Williamsburg and Yorktown, I had 
determined to send up a force to drive them back and destroy their 
camp, the head-quarters of which was this small church. I had also 
learned that at a short distance further on, on the road to Yorktown, 
was an outwork of the rebels, on the Hampton side of a place called 
Big Bethel, a large church, near the head of the north branch of Back 
River, and that here was a very considerable rendezvous, with works 
of more or less strength in process of erection, and from this point the 
whole country was laid under contribution." 



126 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

He accordingly ordered Brigadier-General Pierce " to send 
Daryea's regiment of Zouaves to be ferried over Hampton creek 
at one o'clock on the morning of the 10th, and to march by 
the road up to Newmarket bridge, then crossing the bridge, 
to go by a by-road, and thus put tlie regiment in the rear of 
the encni}^, and between Big Bethel and Little Bethel, in part 
for the purpose of cutting him olf, and then to make an attack 
upon Little Bethel." This regiment was to be supported by 
Colonel Townsend's regiment (Third New York volunteers) 
at Hampton, which was to take up its line of march at two 
o'clock. Colonel Phelps, at Newport News, was ordered to 
send forward " such companies of the regiments under his 
command as he thought best, under command 6f Lieutenant- 
Colonel Washburne, in time to make a demonstration upon Lit- 
tle Bethel in front, and to have him ^npported by Colonel 
Bendix's regiment, with two field pieces." Bendix and Town- 
send were to form a junction at the forks of the roads leading 
from Hampton and Newport News, about a mile and a half 
from Little Bethel. 

These movements were so arranged that the attack upon 
Little Bethel was to be made at daybreak ; when, the enemy 
being repulsed, Duryea's Zouaves and one of the Newport News 
regiments were to " follow upon the heels of the flying rebels 
and attack the battery on the road to Big Bethel, while cover- 
ed by the fugitives, or, if it was thought expedient by Gen- 
eral Pierce, failing to surprise the camp at Little Bethel, they 
should attempt to take the work at Big Bethel. To prevent 
the possibility of mistake in the darkness, Butler directed that 
no attack should be made until the watchword was shouted by 
the attacking regiment ; and, in case that, by any mistake in 
the march, the regiments to make the junction should unex- 
pectedly meet and be unknown to each other, it was directed 
that the members of Colonel Townsend's regiment should be 
known, if in daylight, by something white worn on the arm." 

These orders were explicit, it will be seen, and exonerate 
Butler from blame for the disaster which attended the expe* 



OF THE WAR. 127 

dition, sinco, bad tliej been carried out, tlae objects of the ex- 
pediticai would have been accomplisbed. 

The troops were all put in motion as ordered. The beau- 
tiful night, clear with the light of stars, rendered every move- 
ment easy. The regiments had passed to their several desig- 
nated positions — Duryea's in the advance and Lieutenant- 
Colonel Washburne with the Newport News troops close at 
hand. Townsend's regiment was coming up, and when within 
a few yards of the rendezvous, suddenly a furious fn-e was 
poured in upon his ranks, of small arms and cannon. This fire 
was supposed to proceed from an ambuscade of the enemy, 
and was returned, while the assailed regiment left the road 
and took the cover of a ridge in the rear. Not until several 
rounds had been discharged and two of Townsend's men kill- 
ed and eight wounded did the assailants (who proved to be 
a portion of Colonel Bendix's regiment of German riflemen, 
together with a few companies of Massachusetts and Vermont 
men) discover their grievous mistake. 

In the meanwhile, Colonel Duryea and Lieutenant- Colonel 
Washburne, hearing the firing, supposed the attack to proceed 
from the enemy, and, fearing that their communications might 
be cut off, fell back. The enemy's pickets had been reached 
by Duryea, and five of them were captured ; but, the alarm 
being given, and the advance retarded, the rebels had ample 
time to evacuate their position at Little Bethel, and to make 
good their retreat to Big Bethel, where they had, as it after- 
wards appeared, excellent defensive works, held by a North 
Carolina regiment, and strong batteries manned by Magruder's 
own choice men. 

A conference was held by the several officers in command, 
when it was determined to push forward and assail Big Bethel 
— Duryea still on the advance. A messenger was dispatched to 
Butler giving an account of affairs, and suggesting that a regi- 
ment be sent forward as a reserve. Colonel Allen was, there- 
upon, thrown forward upon Hampton. No opposition was 
offered, save from one house, from which a shot was fired, 
wounding one man. The house was in flames in a few 
17 



128 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

noments. The vicinity of Big Betliel was reacLed by half- 
past nine A. M. The position was thus described : 

" On the right of the road as the troops advanced was a 
wood ; in the centre Lay the road, and, on their left, a largo 
open field. The enemy's batteries were placed so as not only 
to command the field, which was directly in front of thom,^but 
also the road and the centre woods on its left. A private 
house and some outbuildings stood in the plain, so that the 
Secessionists were placed on a hill, backed and concealed by 
woods ; in their entire front a stream, on the further side of 
that stream a large plain, with no shelter but that of one or 
two insignificant houses, and to the right, but commanded by 
their guns, a wood, through which ran the road." 

The enemy 'opened his cannonade at the first appearance of 
the Federal troops. Duryea, covered by two howitzers and a 
brass six-pounder, took the centre ; Townsend the left, near 
the plain, with two guns; Bendix the right, in the woods, 
with Lieutenant Greble serving his single piece of artillery, in 
front, openly. The fight was, from the first, extremely un- 
equal. The enemy, lurking behind intrenchments, and with 
guns commanding the entire approach, was also further guarded 
by a narrow, but deep stream, passing along their entire front, 
and covering their flank from approach. Thus secure, tho 
contest was alarmingly unequal. Pierce, seeing how unex- 
pectedly warm was to be his reception, dispatched a second 
messenger to Butler for reenforcements, when Colonel Carr's 
regiment, then advanced as far as Newmarket bridge, moved 
to the scene of conflict — only reaching it, however, to partici- 
pate in the retreat. 

The fortunes of the day only needed a master-hand to direct 
them, to have turned in favor of the Union troops. General 
Pierce refrained from much command — each regiment seeming 
to act entirely on its own responsibility. Several most gallant 
advances were made by the Zouaves, up to the enemy's very 
face, to pick off the men lurking behind their guns. Colonel 
Bendix prepared for a final assault, but foimd no orders given 
for a support. Townsend's men behaved with great gallantry, 



OF THE WAR. 129 

and were only bi'ouglit away from the murderous fire of tlie 
artillery by the personal leadership of the Colonel, Avho, on his 
horse, rode between the flres, and compelled his troops to 
retire. Lieutenant-Colonel Washburne had, also, arranged 
for a flank movement which, with a combined attack from the 
front, must have ended the struggle ; but the order for retreat 
was given before the movement could be executed. One who 
was present as an observer, wrote : 

" The raw troops, recruits not yet two months enlisted, and 
many of them not having received two weeks drill, stood fire 
welL They were almost utterly unable to defend themselves, 
from the nature of things, but never flinched. Some were less 
disciplined than others, and their efforts less available, but no 
lack of the most difficiilt sort of courage, that which consists 
in enduring without the excitement of performing, was mani- 
fested. ' The cannonading of the enemy was incessant Shrap- 
nell, canister, and rifled balls came at the rate of-three a miniite ; 
the only intervals being those necessary to allow their guns to 
cool. Our own guns, although of comparatively little use, 
were not idle, imtil the artillery ammunition was entirely ex- 
hausted. Almost all of the cartridge rounds of the Zouaves 
were also fired. 

" At about one o'clock. Colonel Allen's regiment, the First 
New York, came up as a reenforcement, and, at about the 
same time. Colonel Carr s, of the Troy Yolunteers ; these also 
received several discharges of artillery; but did not move 
upon the open field, with the exception of two hundred of the 
Troy Eifles. Their approach, however, seemed to the com- 
manding General to give no hope that he would be able, with- 
out more artillery, to take or silence the batteries, and, at 
about twenty minutes past one, he gave the order to withdraw." 

The Federal loss was fourteen killed, forty-nine wounded, and 
five missing. Among the killed were two of the most gallant and 
noble men in the service — Major Theodore Winthrop, Secretary 
and Aid to General Butler, and First-Lieutenant John T. Greble, 
of the United States regular Artillery, Second regiment. The 
enemy pronounced his loss to have been but one killed and 



130 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

four wounded. The retreat was accomplislied in good order — - 
the enemy not pursuing. A troop of cavahy sallied over the 
bridge, and fell upon the wagons collecting the wounded — 
disregarding the flag of truce borne by the Chaplain in com- 
mand, but no attack was made on the lines. Colonel Phelps 
had dispatched two hundred and fifty men, under Colonel 
Hawkins, to the scene of combat; but these troops only met 
the retreat 

This contest excited the public mind greatly. Upon General 
Pierce the censure of defeat fell, with merciless severit}^ He 
was charged with, inefficiencj'', ignorance of field manoeuvres, 
want of pluck, etc., etc. It is questionable if the charges were 
wholly true. The first error was in dispatching so large a 
force without equivalent artillery. Had there been a dozen 
good field pieces, the enemy would have been driven from his 
position in half-an-hour. As it was, Greble's single gun did 
memorable service, and, had Bendix and Duryea been allowed 
to charge, as they wished, at a moment wdien it was evident 
that Greble and the sharpshooters had silenced over half of the 
enemy's guns, it is more than probable that the day would 
have been won. General Pierce lacked confidence in himself 
It was his first experience on the battle field ; he seemed con- 
fused by its responsibilities. Conceded to be a brave officer 
and a. good disciplinarian, he still lacked the experiences of a 
general field command. Had he wisely conferred that com- 
mand upon Daryea, .or, indeed, upon any one of his Colonels, 
that army never would have retreated, especiallj' after the 
arrival of Colonel Carr's fine troops, with their two effective 
pieces of artillery. 

In the enemy's account of the fight, as given b}'' the Eich- 
mond Dispatch^ the fact was m.ade known that IVfagruder com- 
manded in person. The infantry present consisted of the First 
North Carolina regiment, Colonel HilL Their guns consisted 
of a superb howitzer batter}'- (seven guns), embracing one fine 
Parrot field-piece. The battery was worked by one hundred 
chosen men, under Major Eandolph. The account stated, 
among other things : 



OF THE WAR. 131 

" About nine o'clock, tlic gTittei'ing bcayoncts of tlic enemy 
appcai'cd on the liill opposite, nnd above tlieni waved the Star 
Spangled Banner. The moment the head of the column ad- 
vance'.l far enougli to sliow one or two companies, the Parrot 
gun of the howitzer battery opened on them, throwing a shell 
right into their midst Tlieir ranks broke in confusion, and 
tlie column, or as mucli of it as we could see, retreated bekind 
two small farm-houses. • From their position a fire was opened 
on us, which was replied to by our battery, which commanded 

* the route of their approach. Our firing was excellent, and the 
shells scattered in all directions when they burst. They could 
hardly approach the guns which they were firing for the shells 
which came from our batterj^ Within our encampment fell a 
perfect hailstorm of canister-shot, bullets, and balls, llcmark- 
able to say, not one of our men was killed, inside of our en- 
campment. Several horses were slain by the shells and 
bullets. 

" Finding that bombardment would not answer, the enemy, 
about eleven o'clock, tried to carry the position by assault, but 
met a terrible repulse at the hands of the infantry, as he tried 
to scale the breastworks, The men disregarded sometimes the 
defenses erected for them, and, lea})ing on the embankment, 
stood and fired at the Yankees, cutting them down as they 
came up. One (company of the New York "Seventh i-cgiment, 
under Captain AVinthrop, attempted to take the redoubt on the 
left. The marsh they crossed was strewn with their bodies. 
Their Captain, a fine-looking man, reached the fence, and, lean- 
ing on a log, waved his sword, crying, ' Come on, boys, one 
charge, and the day is ours.' The words were his last, for a 
Carolina rille ended his life the next moment, and his men fled 
in terror back. At the redoubt on tie right, a company of 

. abou.t three hundred New York Zoua^ es charged one of our 
guns, but could not stand the fire of the infantry, and retreated 
precipitately. 

" During these charges, the main body of the enemy on the 
hill were attempting to concentrate for a general assault, but 
the shells from the howitzer battery prevented them. As one 



132 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

regiment would give up the effort, another would be inarched 
to the position, but with no better success, for a shell would 
scatter them like chaff. The men did not seem able to stand 
fire at all. 

"About one o'clock their guns were silenced, and a few 
moments after, their infantry retreated precipitately down the 
road to Hampton." 



» '<0<4 ^ 



XIII. 



THE SECOND DISASTER. 

The defeat of the Federal army of invasion at Bull Eun 
Sunday, July 21st, 1861, was one of the most remarkable and 
mysterious affairs recorded in the annals of modern warfare. 
A magnificent army, having fought, against great odds, a bat- 
tle of an unusually sanguinary nature, at a moment when vic- 
tory was about to rest upon its standard, broke up in a panic, 
retreated in disorder to their fartherest defenses, abandoned 
vast stores, artillery and equippage, forsook positions which a 
few brave men could have held securely, and collected in camp 
a disorganized and dispirited mass — all from no perceptible 
good reason and without being able to fasten the first faidt 
upon any particular corps or regiment. 

That the battle was virtually won by ihe Federal forces the 
rebel leaders themselves confess.. Beauregard, at a dinner 
given him in Eichmond, stated, with minuteness, the circum- 
stances of his peril and his defeat — that he had just given the 
order to his aid for the grand retreat to Manassas, but retained 
the aid to await the solution of a single movement : a banner 



OP THE WAR. 133 

was seen in tLe distance, to the west, advancing at the head 
of a division — if that of the Federals all was lost--if that of 
one of his own divisions it would steady the movements about 
to be ordered, or possibly turn the tide of defeat. He depict- 
ed the intensity of his emotions at that moment, and how his 
heart leaped for joy upon distinguishing, with his glass, that 
the "Hag was that of the Confederacy. The order for retreat 
was not issued, and soon the General-in-Chief learned that the 
long looked-for reenforcements from Johnson's army had ar- 
rived. This timely arrival of fourteen thousand comparatively 
fresh men saved Beauregard's overwhelming defeat and gave 
him the vantage ground. The Union troops, however, fought 
the v;ay on — were pushing the enemy slowly but surely back- 
ward when, without just cause, a stampede commenced, which 
no power of ofiicers, or of eminent civilians present, could pre- 
vent. The regiments of most undoubted bravei'y, those whose 
ranks were deplorably thinned by service fled in dismay be- 
fore an imaginary pursuit. Artillery of the most costly and 
efficient character was abandoned — the gunners taking to the 
horses for escape. Wagons loaded with immense quantities 
of stores were abandoned, while the teamsters or the flying 
infantry seized the horses and mules to hasten in advance of 
the disordered mass. Ofiicers came on without commands, 
wild with frenzy at the course of their troops, but perfectly 
powerless to stay the disgraceful scamper. A few regiments 
moved on in comparatively good order, but their course was 
*Washington-ward, and no efforts to stand were made. Blenk- 
er's fine division — held as a reserve at Centerville, covered the 
rout in good order, but did no service as no enemy pursued. 
It was a causeless, senseless, disgraceful panic — one which ever 
will stand as one of the inexplicable phenomena of the modern 
battle-field. 

No battle ever was fought where so many and such various 
opinions were expressed by those present. Many newspapers 
were represented by able and vigilant correspondents ; num- 
bers of Congressmen were there ; eminent civilians came out 
to view the conflict, which was heralded by the skirmishing 



134 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of three previous daj^s ; — most all of -whom published state- 
ments and naiTatives of the disaster, many of which disagreed 
in important, specific and general particulars. The statements 
of officers only added to the confusion, while official reports 
failed to throw any light upon the actual cause or the extent 
of the disaster. 

A letter from an officer of the regular service present at the 
battle, gave the following general narrative of the events of 
the day : 

"The march froni our bivouac, near Ccntrcvillc, was taken uj) at 2^- a.m. 
on Sunday, Among officers and men the impi-ession prevailed that the 
action -would occur at Bull's Run, the scene of General Tyler's repulso 
a day or two previously. In this they were disappointed. Tyler's 
brigade posted themselves at the bridge over Bull's Run, where they 
were ordered to feign an attack as soon as General Hunter's division 
were knoAvn to be in position. This order was partially obeyed. Hun- 
ter's division, composed of Burnside's brigade and Porter's brigade, 
after pi-oceeding a mile beyond Centreville, made a detour to the right, 
and proceeded over a Avood road, M-eli covered fi-om oljservation, to the 
left flank of the enemy at Manassas, a distance of aljout eight miles. 
At six o'clock tiring was heard on the heights at Bull's Run, from a 
battery in Tyler's brigade, which was promptly answered by the enemy's 
batteries. Their position thus revealed, the advance division (Hunter's) 
ascended a hill at double quick, and almost immediately the Rhode 
Island battery and Griffin's West Point Ijattery were in brisk action. 
The former Avas supported by the First regiment Rhode Island volun- 
teers, who maintained their ground nobly for a half hour. At this mo- 
ment Porter's brigade, composed of the Fourteenth, Seventh andTwen- 
ty-seventli New York, with a battalion of United States marines, under 
Major Reynolds, and a battalion of United States Third, Second and 
Eighth infantry, under Major Sykcs, took their position in line of battle 
upon a hill, within range of the enemy's lire. Burnside's battery being 
BOJ'cly i)ressed, the enemy having charged closely upon it, the gallant 
Colonel galloped to Major Sykes and implored him to come to his as- 
sistance. Major Sykes brought up his men at a run, and, with a deaf- 
ening shout, they charged upon the enemy's skirmishers, who fled before 
them several hundred yards. Forming in column of divisions, Sykes' 
battalion advanced a considerable distance, until they drew upon them- 
Belves an intensely hot fire of musketry and artillery. Tiiis was a trying 
moment. The volunteers cxi)ected mucli of the regulars, and gazed 
upon them as they stood in unbroken line, receiving the fire, and return* 



OF THE WAR. 135 

ing 'it ■\vitli fatal iirccision. Imjjressions ancl rcsolutious are formed on 
the battle-field 4n an instant. The impression at this moment was a 
happy one, and Hcintzel man's brigade coming up into line, our forces 
steadily advanced upen the retreating rebels. The batteries, which had 
been meanwhile recruited with men and horses, renewed their fire with 
increased effect, and our supremacy upon the field was ajjpareut. The 
enemy's fire was now terrific. Shell, round-shot and grape trom their 
batteries covered the field with clouds of dust, and many a gallant fel- 
low fell in that brief time. At this juncture the volunteers, who hither- 
to had behaved nobly, seeing their ranks thinned out, many losing 
their field and company otHcers, lost confidence, and in a i)anic fell back. 
Three fresh regiments coming on the field at this time, would have 
formed a nucleus upon which a general rally could have been efiected, 
but while the enemy had reenforcements pouring in upon them momen- 
tarily, our entire force Avas in the field and badly cut up. Thus was 
our action maintained for hours. The panic was momentarily increas- 
ing. Regiments were observed to march up in good order, discharge 
one volley, and then fall back in confusion. But there was no lack of 
gallantry, generally sj)eaking, and not a great manj"^ manifestations of 
cowardice. Our artillery, which made sad havoc upon the rebels, had 
spent their ammunition or been otherwise disabled by this lime, and in 
the absence of reenforcements, a retreat was inevitable. The time for 
the last attack had now come. Nearly all of the rebel batteries were in 
place, though silent. There was a calm — an indescribable calm. Every 
man on the field felt it. I doubt if any one could describe it. General 
McDowell was near the front of our lines, mounted on his gray charger. 
And here let me say, emphatically, that, Avhatever may be the criticisms 
ui^on his conduct by the military or the abominable stay-at-home news- 
l)ai)er scril)blcrs and politicians, no braver man trod that turf at Manas- 
sas than General McDowell. Major Sykes' battalion of eight companies, 
five of Third infantry, two of the Second, and one of the Eightli, were 
marched several hundred yards to the right, and formed the right flank 
of the line. Several volunteer regiments, were deployed as skirmishers 
on the centre and left. Thus they advanced to the crest of the hill. 
The enemy met them with batteries and musketry in front, and two bat- 
teries and a thousand cavalry on the right. The fire was terrific. We 
maintained our position for a half hour. Then it was discovered that 
the rebel cavalry were attempting to outflank our right. We had no 
force to resist them, and the bugle of the regulars sounded the march in 
retreat. This, so far as we were concerned, was conducted in good 
order. On Major Sykes was imposed the res2)onsible duty of covering 
the retreat of the army. In this he was assisted on part of the route 
by the United States cavali y, under Major Palmer, The enemy followed 
18 



136 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

U3 with tlieir artillery and cavalry, shelling us constantly, until we 
reached Ceutrcvillc. Here we bivouacked for an hour, and then again 
took up the line of march." 

This speaks for the regulars, but does meager justice to those 
many gallant regiments that bore the brunt of the light ; while 
it omits the most material incidents of the retreat. Blenker's 
troops (four regiments from Mills' division) covei-ed the retreat 
— being specially detailed as the reserve and to hold the hei^^hts 
of Centreville. 

From another more detailed account we glean such items aa 
will, taken in connection with the above, give a consistent idea 
of tlie character of the contest. 

" On a line, right and left with Fairfax, the entire column 
halted and bivouacked during the niglit of Wednesday the 
17th. Beyond a false alarm caused by the discharge of a sen- 
tinel's musket, which aroused the entire camp, and placed the 
division under arms, nothing of any account occurred. Eleven 
rebel soldiers belonging to the Sixth Alabama regiment, and 
two citizens, were captured by the Fire Zouaves and brought 
to Colonel Blenker, who commanded them to the lock-up un- 
der a strong guard. At eight o'clock A. j\r., on the 18tb, we 
broke camp and proceeded to Centreville, where the Fifth 
division arrived in advance of all others. Our march to this 
spot was difficult and dangerous. The pioneers worked like 
beavers ; the roads were barricaded to such an extent, that we 
had to cut our way inch by inch. The road being straight 
through heavy pine woods, we were compelled to throw out 
skirmishers on our right and left, to guard against a surprise 
attack. 

" At Centreville, we remained from Thursday morning until 
Sunday the 21st, the day of the memorable battle of Bull's 
Run. While the Fifth division was encamped in the valley, 
about halfa-milc from Centreville, the riglit flank of the grand 
column arrived, and a portion of it, in command of General 
Tyler, was sent in advance towards Bull's Run Creek, to recon- 
noitre the enemy's position and detect his batteries. 

"On Friday morning the Secretary of War, accompanied by 



OF T-HE WAR. 137 

Colonel Scott and Mr. Moore, liis private secretary, arrived at 
the encampments, to note the position and condition of the 
troops. It was soon rumored that General Scott was at Centre- 
ville, and great enthusiasm was manifested by the soldiers 
when tliey were told that the veteran Commander-in-Chief was 
among them. The statement, however, was false, for the hero 
of a hundred battles was not thei-e iiro. personce. In tlie even- 
ing, the commanding olliccrs were invited to a council of war 
at the quartei-s of General McDowell. 

"The orders of General Tyler, it is understood, were specifio 
not to give the enemy battle ; but the skirmishers of the 
Twelfth New York volunteers were scarcely one mile and a 
half from Centreville, before a masked battery opened upon 
them, killing and wounding a number of the men. The First 
Massachusetts, Second Wisconsin, and First Minnesota regi- 
ments suffered badly. The Twelfth regiment retreated in. 
disorder. The Sixty- ninth. Colonel Corcoran, and the Seventy- 
nhith, Colonel Cameron, both New York State militia, came 
up to reenforce our troops, but arrived too late to render any 
effectual service. In fact they did not even have an opportu- 
nity to participate in this fight, all the troops having been 
ordered back to C_entreville first. The Twelfth New York 
volunteers and the First Massachusetts volunteers suffered 
most; their loss in killed, wounded, and missing could not 
have been less than from one hundred to one hundred and 
fifty. In the evening, however, those regiments, besides the 
Connecticut volunteers, were moved forward, and camped 
upon the late battle-field, the enemy having retreated from 
their position. With the exception of driving in Our pickets, 
the capture of a rebel named Wingfield, by Captain Forstner, , 
of the Eighth regiment New York volunteers, and the sur- 
render of an orderly sergeant, named Leadbeater, of the 
Virginia Ninth, our camps remained quiet until Sunday 
morning. 

" Early Sunday morning the divisions began to move. The 
Warrington road was taken b}^ tlie centre column ; and Genei-al 
McDov/eil directed Colonel Ileintzelman to march v/ith his 



1S8 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

division in that direction, Sherman's battery, lii en tenant 
Hajnes' thirty-pound rifled siege gun, Parrott's patent, and 
Carhsle's battery accompanied tliis division. Further to tho 
right, was Colonel Hunters, Franklin s, Keyes' and Porter's 
divisions. Each of them were supported by artilleiy. At six 
o'clock, Lieutenant Haynes opened the ball by sending a shot 
from his battery, which he ]-epeated alternately for upwards of 
an hour, without receiving any reply from the enemy. Finally, 
the rebels responded with some grape and canister, which was 
duly appreciated and returned with interest. The rebels 
seemingly had the proper range of their guns. 

" The firing then became general, and the enemy slov/ly 
retreated, followed closely by our troops. An assault was 
contemplated; and the Sixtj^ -ninth, Seventy-ninth, and Fire 
Zouaves were ordered to storm the battery. These valiant 
'soldiers steadily advanced under a galling fire, and VF'cre almost 
in possession of the guns, when a tremendous volley raked 
their front, and they were compelled to fall back. Tlie reason 
of the repulse was obvious. The field oflicers made a great 
mistake in attempting to carry a battery from the front, and 
neglected to deploy on the flanks. From this instant the fight 
became more general. The entire column on the right now 
pressed forward, and the Fire Zouaves, the Sixty-ninth, and 
Seventy-ninth regiments had actually captured three masked 
batteries, when an immense troop of cavalry advanced, and 
commenced cutting the gallant men to pieces. The Zouaves 
lay flat on their faces to load, and their fire was so steady and 
accurate, that whoever was hit by them was seen to bite the 
dust 

" Colonel Cameron, of the Highlanders, gallantl)' led on his 
men to the charge. The brave Scotchmen were so eager for 
the fight, that some of them actually stripped oft' their shoes 
and coats and rushed upon the enemy. The colonel of this 
fine regiment did no*:, live long enough to see the valiant deeds 
of those whom he commanded, for, after discharging his 
revolver twice, and while in the act of shooting the third time, 
a ball from a musket penetrated his left breast, and he fell 



OF THE WAR. " 139 

from liis liorse upon tlic field. Instead of "becoming dislieart- 
ened bj tliis event, the gallant Highlanders pushed on, encou- 
raged bj the brave Major McClelland (Lieutenant-Colonel 
Elliqtt not being on the ground) in their charge on the enemy. 
The Sixty-ninth regiment, Colonel Corcoran, also evinced the 
most unflinching courage, and the only charge that in any way 
approaches that of the rebel cavalry, was the famous charge at 
Balaklava ; and it has yet to be proved whether it was so gal- 
lantly resisted as the charge was by these three New York 
regiments. The Khode Island, Maine, Connecticut, Wisconsin, 
Massachusetts, and the rest of the New York regiments all 
fought furiously, regardless of danger. The New York 
Seventy -first and Eighth regiments also signalized themselves, 
and clearly demonstrated that their military training was not 
altogether confined to parading on Broadway in full dress 
uniform. These men, althougli their term of service was 
about to expi]-e, did not flinch a hair from the duty they owed 
to their country, and sprang forward to the charge, although 
their ranks were thinned. 

" The Rhode Island battery did good service, the enemy at 
one time took the guns, but the gallant boys recaptured them 
with considei'able slaughter. Thus the fight raged for nine 
consecutive hours without interruption. When our troops in 
the first place came upon the battle-field, on double-quick 
time, they were exhausted to such an extent on reaching the 
ground, that their tongues actually hung out of their mouths. 
The poor soldiers suffered terribly for the want of drinking 
water, and whenever a rill or a moist place was discovered, 
the lialf-flimished men threw themselves upon the ground, 
licking the moisture. According to instructions. General Pat-~ 
terson was to have come to the reenforcement of our division, 
and was expected at Centreville at twelve o'clock noon. Had 
he arrived, our weary troops would have been relieved and 
given time to rest, while the attack would have been followed 
up. Everything went on gloriously until about three o'clock 
in the afternoon, and altliough a goodly number of our men 
were killed, still the spirit of those remaining was unbrokeUj 



140 * INCII^ENTS AND ANECDOTES 

but pliysicallj they were unable to maintaiu tlieii- position 
mucli longer. 

" Captain Ayres' battery and a portion of Eickett's battery 
fell into the hands of the enem}'-, but were retaken after an 
immense sacrifice of life. A regiment of Black cavalry made 
a circuitous dash at our right and left flanks, which was ob- 
served by the Zouaves. They immediately fell to the ground, 
and each marked his man. Some picked off two and three, 
and in less than half an hour from their first appearance the 
black cavalry horses were seen dashing back riderless. Only 
a few of this troop returned, out of about eight hundred men. 

"About half-j)ast four o'clock in the afternoon a terrible 
dash of cavalry and a fierce charge of artillery was made at 
our exhausted troops. This charge did the most devastating 
damage, mowing down everything in its furious career. The 
agonized shrieks of the wounded, tlie terrible roar of artillerj^, 
snorting of frightened animals, tended to strike terror into the 
hearts of the soldiers. In this charge, Griffin's, Ricket's and 
the Ehode Island batteries were taken. Those in citizen's 
dress became alarmed and took to their heels, taking wllat- 
ever conveyance they could lay their hands upon. From them 
the teamsters, some five hundred, who had driven their wao-- 
ons further in advance than was any necessity for, took fright 
The road being very narrow, in fact a gorge, the ponderous 
vehicles could not be turned, and in many cases the cowardly 
di'ivers cut the tiTices, mounted their steeds and rode off, leav- 
ing the valuables which were entrusted to their care by the 
Government to take care of itself Tims thousands of dollars 
worth of provisions were left behind. The army wagc.ns dash- 
ing down the road, spread the panic among the citizens, who 
made all possible haste to leave so hot a neighborhood. 

" Colonel Miles in the meantime had received instructions 
to move his reserve forward, and the German brigade, under 
Colonel BIcnkcr, Ibllowing Green's, Hunt's and Tidbalhs bat- 
teries, started on a double-quick-to the scene of battle. The 
brigade, however, had scarcely advanced three miles fi-om Cen- 
ti'cville before the entire army came along, every man looking 



OF THE WAR. 141 

out for himself! Tlirougli the firmness of Colonel Blenher, a 
short stand-was made at Centreville, and the flying troops 
somewhat reassured. All the threats, promises and denunci- 
ations were of no avail, and the only course to be pursued was 
to cover the retreat as much as possible in case of a jjursuit. 
The troops reached Fairfax in safety, and those regiments 
that were sent into Virginia on Sunday were ordei-ed back, 
and joined the column of the retreating forces. Between' 
Washington and i\lexandria all travelling communication was 
cut off by the Government, so as not to allow the panic- 
stricken soldiers to push into the Capital." 

As might be expected, the most intense feeling pervaded 
all classes. The defeat, at the very moment of victory, was 
mortifying, but the rout and demoralization was mortifying 
in the extreme. The public in its eager desire to find some 
palliation for the disaster, sought victims' for its blame ; and 
the Secretary of War— the " On to Eichmond !" press — the 
Congressmen who had goaded General Scott by their displays 
of temper at his deliberate way of pressing the campaign — all 
suffered at the hands of the indignant people. But, as the 
excitement of the moment cleared away, and matters came to 
be understood, attention was directed to the reenforcements 
received by Beauregard — Johnson's entire army from Win- 
chester : why were they allowed to escape Patterson's heavy 
columns sent specifically to engage the rebel, at eyevy hazard, 
and thus to keep him away from Manassas? That failure to 
engage resulted, as Scott foreknew it must, in ovei-powering 
McDowell's thirty-two thousand men. Had Patterson detain- 
ed Johnson, as ordered, all would have been well, and " On 
to Eichmond !" would have been, in all probabilitj^, a fulfilled 
command. 

How inscrutable are the ways of Providence ! Had the 
rebels been defeated at Bull Eun and forced fi'om Manassas, 
a» armistice might have followed — doubtless would have fol- 
lowed ; Avhen a " settlement" would have replaced the rebels 
in power as in the past, to domineer over, to browbeat and in- 
sult, to cast a stigma upon, the North and its Free State senti- 



142 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ment, and liave only postponed the day of final decision of tlio 
great principles of Government involved. That defeat called 
forth the }-et but half-aroused sentiment of the North, con- 
vincing the people of the true nature of the struggle, and com- 
manding those mightj'- resources which alone were ca])able of 
finally crushing out the rebellion to the last degree, leaving 
the great principle of the supremacy of the Central Govern- 
ment no longer questioned, and the right of the majority to 
rule a fixed fact 



XIV. 



INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN 

A VOLUME would scarcely suffice to contain all the stories 
related of haps and mishaps, personal achievements and adven- 
tures, incidents and anecdotes of the field of Bull liun. We- 
can devote but a section to them, showing such as seem to 
illustrate, in an indirect way, the fortunes and circumstances 
of the struggle. 

The battle consisted of a succession of fires from masked 
batteries, which opened in cvevy direction, (when one was 
silenced, its place was supplied by two,) and in the daring 
charges of our infantry in unmasking them. The Second Ohio 
and Second New York militia were marched by flank through 
the woods by a new-made road, within a mile of the main 
road, when they came on a battery of eight guns, with four 
regiments flanked in the rear. Our men were immediately 
ordered to lie down on either side of the road, in order to allow 
two pieces of artillery to pass through and attack the work, 
when tliis battery opened upon us, and killed, on the third 
round, Lieutenant Dempsey, of company G, New York Second, 



OF THE WAR. 143 

and "William Maxwell, a drummer, and scrionslj Avoiinding 
several othei'S. Our troops were kept for fifteen or tM'enty 
minutes under ii galling fire, they not being able to exchange 
shots with the enemy, although within a stone's throw of their 
batteries. They succeeded in retiring in regular order, and 
with their battery. 

The most gallant charge of the day was made by the 'New 
York Sixt3'-nintli, Seventy-ninth, and Thirteenth, who rushed 
up npon one of the batteries, firing as they proceeded, with 
perfect cdat, and attacking it with the bayonet's point. The 
yell of triumph seemed to carry all before it. They found 
that the rebels had abandoned the battery, and only taken one 
gun, but tins success was acquired only after a severe loss of 
life, iu which the Sixty-ninth most severely suifei'cd. The 
Zouaves also distinguished themselves by their spirited assaults 
on the batteries, at the point of the bayonet. 

Colonel Cameron seemed to have a presentiment of his 
death. In a conversation with him at his tent, on the evening 
prior to the battle, he said that he had accepted the command 
of the gallant Highlanders because he admired them, and inas- 
much as he had only a short time to live, he might as well 
devote it to his country. He asked a correspondent whether 
he was going to the battle-field. Eeceiving an affirmative 
answer, he said : " Good b^'e, God bless you. We may meet 
again, but I am afraid not in this world." Som.e sixteen hours 
afterwards the gallant Colonel was shot from his horse and 
killed. 

A member of the Sixty -ninth thus wrote of the services of 
that splendid regiment (composed wholly of Irish, drawn from 
the City of New York, and commanded by Colonel Corcoran) : 

" About ten o'clock we discovered two batteries, and drove 
the enemy out. The Sixty-ninth advanced. We went off at 
a run, but could not overtake the enemy, as they scattered in 
every direction through the woods. We kept np the run, 
turned to the right, waded through streams, climbed steep 
hills, left our battery behind us, and out-flanked the enemy, 
and came on them when we were not expected. The Louisiana 
19 



14-1 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Zoiiavcs were doing big damage wlien we came on tliem. "Wo 
gave a yell tliat could be heard far above the roar of the can- 
non. AVe fired into them, and charged them with the bayonet. 
They were panic-striken and fled. Wc covered tlie field with 
their dead. Haggarty rushed forward to take a prisoner, and 
lost his hfe. Tlie man turned and shot him through the heart. 
We drove the enemy before us for some distance, then got into 
line and had them surrounded. General McDowell came np 
just then, took off His hat, and said, ' You have gained the 
victory.' Our next fly was at a South Carolina regiment. We 
killed about three hundred of them. After fighting hard for 
some time, we cleared the field of all the enemy. The enemy 
again rallying, the real fight then commenced. We were drawn 
up in line, and saw the other regiments trying to take the 
masked batteries. They were cut to pieces and scattered. We 
were then ordered forward to attack the batteries. We fought 
desperately, but we were cut down. We lost our flag, but 
took it back again with the assistance of a few of the Firemen 
Zouaves, who fought like devils. We charged a second time, 
but were mowed down by the grape and rifle of the enemy. 
We came together again, to make another charge, but we could 
not s;et toe;cther over two hundred men. We formed into a 
hollow square, when we saw the enemy turn out their cavalry, 
about a mile in length, afid the hills all about covered Avith 
them, trying to surround us. All the regiments on our side 
were scattered and in disorder, except what were left of the 
Sixty-ninth. The Fire Zouaves had to retreat, leaving a num- 
ber of wounded on the field. What we could gather together 
of our reefiment marched back to Fort Corcoran during the 
night." 

Governor Sprague, of Ehode Island, had two horses killed 
tinder him during the action. After the first one waskilled, 
by his head being shot away by a cannon-ball, his men came 
around him and insisted upon his going to the rear. This he 
positively refused to do, and continued throughout the engage- 
ment at the head of his brigade, gallantly leading them on 
and encouraging theii efforts. 



OF Tir K WAR.' 145 

Colonel Cowdin, of the First Massacliusetts regiment, was 
leaning his back against a tree in a very exposed position, 
when a friend expostulated with liim for his recklessness. 
The Colonel said the bullet was not moulded that would shoot 
him that day. In a few seconds after, another ])ersonal friend 
came up, and putting out his hand to the Colonci, the latter 
stooped a little to grasp it, when a conical cannon-ljall struck 
on the spot where an instant befoi'c was the head of Colonel* 
Cowdin, shattering the tree into splinters. The Colonel 
turned about calmly and remarh'ed, " that he was certain that 
the ball that would kill him was not yet cast ;" and proceeded 
to issue his commands. 

The brave conduct of Colonel Hunter, commanding tlie 
Second division, deserves special notice. He was shot in the 
throat, while directing in person the Second Ehode Island 
regiment, in its gallant assault upon a battery. Just before 
being wounded, he had given an order to one of his aids for a 
distant regiment. ^The aid was about galloping off, when he 
saw the Colonel frdl from his horse. He immediately came to 
his assistance, but the Colonel motioned him off, telling him 
" deliver your order, and never mind me — I will take care of 
myself" 

Lieutenant-Colonel Boone, of Mississippi, one of the few 
prisoners taken by our troops, states that had the Union troops 
held tJieir ground on the other side of Bull Eun for half-an- 
liour longer, the entire rebel army would have given way. 

A Mississippi soldier was taken prisoner by Hasbrouck, of 
the Wiscolisin Second regiment. He turned out to be Briga- 
dier-Quartermaster Pryor. He was captured, with his horse, 
as he by accident rode into our lines. He discovered himself 
by remarking to Hasbrouck, " We are getting badly cut to 
pieces." " What regiment do you belong to ?" asked Has- 
brouck " The Nineteenth Mississippi," was the answer. 
" Then,- you are my prisoner," said Hasbrouck. 

The Fire Zouaves received the special attention of the " Black 
Horse Cavalry" — the pride of the Southern army, who had 



14G INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

sworn to ivipe out tlie " red devils" from New York. Tlio 
story ol" tlicir assault was tlius told : 

" They came upon the Zouave regiment at a gallop, and 
were received by the brave firemen upon tlieir poised bayo- 
nets, followed instantly by a volley, from wliicli tlicy broke 
and fled, though several of the Zouaves wei'e cut down in the 
assault They quickly returned, with their forces doubled — • 
■. perhaps six or seven hundred — and again they dashed with 
fearful yells upon the excited Zouaves. This time they bore 
an American flag, and a part of the Zouaves sujiposcd for an 
instant that they were friends, whom they had originally mis- 
taken. Tift flag was quickly thrown down, however, the' 
horses dashed upon the regiment, the ruse was discovered, 
and tlie slaughter commenced. No quarter, no halting, no 
flinching now, marked the rapid and death-dealing blows of 
our men, as they closed in upon the foe, in their madness and 
desperation. Our brave fellows fell, the ranks filled up, the 
sabers, bowie-knives and ba_yonets glistened in the sunlight, 
hcfi'sc after horse went down, platoon after platoon disappeared 
— the rattle of musketry, the screams of the rebels, the shout 
of ' Eemember Ellsworth !' from the lungs of the Zouaves, and 
the yells of the wounded and crushed belligerents filled the 
air, and a terrible carnage succeeded. The gallant Zouaves 
fought to the death, and were sadly cut up ; but of those 
\ hundreds of Black Horse Guards, not many left that bloody 
recounter !" 

When the Fire Zouaves stormed the masked battery at Bui 
Eun, and were forced to fall back by the grapeshot and cay 
airy charge, one of them was stunned by a blow from a sa^cf, 
and fell almost under one of the enemy's guns. Tlie '-.-•'.Pt- 
sionists swarmed around him like bees, but feigning dc<'l,h, m 
the excitement he was unnoticed, and when a sally vjj vnade, 
managed to crawl back into the thicket inside thoO'.r federate 
lines. Here he waited some time for an oppoifj-ii'.r ro escape, 
but finding none, concluded he would mako the. hose of a bad 
bargain, and if he was lost, vrauld have a I'VJic revenge before- 



OP THE WAR. 147 

hand. Hastily stripping tlie body of a Confederate near by, 
lie donned his uniform, and seizing a rifle, made his way to 
the intrenchments, where he joined the Secessionists, and, 
watching his opportunities, succeeded in picking off several of 
their most prominent officers whenever they advanced out 
upon the troops. Here he remained some time, until, think- 
ing it best to leave before his disguise should be discovered, 
he joined a party who were about to charge upon our forces, 
and was, to his gratification, again captured, but this time by 
his own men. 

A remarkable incident was related of a private of the New 
York Twenty-eighth regiment of volunteers : He had been 
wounded in the groin, and was hobbling off the field, when he 
was pursued and overtaken b}^ three rebels. As the foremost 
one cafTie wp he laid his hand heavily upon his shoulder. The 
soldier stumbled forward, and as he fell he drew his bayonet 
the only weapon he had — from its scabbard, with which ho 
run the rebel through the body, and, at the same time, seized 
upon his c£fptor's revolver, drew it from the belt, and shot the 
other two. He then made good his escape, and arrived safely 
at Washington. 

An Ohio paper correspondent adverted to the services of 
some of the regiments from that State in glowing strains. 
He said : 

" The Ohio regiments were in the thickest of the fight, but 
fortunately lost but few men. The First regiment, under 
Colonel McCook, has covered itself with glory. They were 
detailed at an early hour in the day to hunt up batteries, and 
they seemed to understand that work to perfection. The 
Grays were sent out as skirmishers early in the morning, and 
drove in the pickets of the rebels, and commenced the fight 
These two Ohio regiments have been trained by Colonel 
McCook, and were frequently brought right into the very 
range and front of the enemy's most terrible and formidable 
guns ; but no sooner would they see the flash than every man 
was prostrate upon his face, and the balls and grape would 



148 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

pass harmlessly over them ; then thej would up and at them 
with a vengeance in double-quick time." 

Colonel McCook's younger brother — but seventeen years 
old — ^was a member of the Second Ohio regiment, and was left 
as a guard to the hospital. One of the enemy's cavalry dash-, 
ed upon him and ordered him to surrender ; the brave youth, 
with fixed bayonet, steady nerve, and cool bearing, replied, 
" I never surrender !" The father, Judge McCook, who had 
all the day been arduously engaged in assisting and taking 
care of the wounded, bringing them in from the field, and 
that, too, at the imminent peril of his own life, was in the hos- 
pital tent and heard the order to his son, and saw others of the 
enemy's cavalry near by, and rushed out, and speaking in a 
loud tone, " Charley, surrender, for God's sake, or you are 
lost." Charley turned to his father, and with all the ^lion in 
his countenance, replied, " Father, I will never surrender to 
a rebel." In a moment a ball pierced his spine, but he in- 
stantly discharged his musket at the rebel horseman, and laid 
him low in death, and 'then fell himself. The rebels then un- 
dertook to drag him off, but his father rushed in and released 
him, and he died Monday morning. His body was brought 
away by his father, and was sent to Ohio for burial. The 
Colonel McCook above alluded to was afterwards the well 
known General McCook in Halleck's army. 
. Colonel W. E. Montgomerj^, for thirty years an efficient ofEi- 
cer of the United States Army, who had seen service where- 
ever during that time it was to be seen, was in command of 
the First New Jersey regiment. In the midst of the torrent 
of the retreat, he stemmed its tide, forced his regiment in good 
order through its surge of men and horses and wagons, which 
carried back with them his associate regiment, the Second 
New Jersey, Colonel McLean, but had no effect on him. 
"With exhortations, remonstrances and bayonets, he checked, 
but could not stop the disastrous flight. Abandoned by Colo- 
nel McLean and the Second, he pressed on alone, and alone 
his regiment reached the field, and took the post which his 



OF THE WAR. 149 

orders indicated, formed in square to receive the enemy's cav* 
airy, and staid five hours on tlie battle-field ivaiting for ord&'s. 

Witli regard to this flight, much was, at the time, written as 
to the bad effects of the civilians present. It was stated and 
believed that their scampering away from danger first alarmed 
the teamsters, and thus produced the panic. It would appear 
that a few men here and ti^ere in citizens' dress, could have 
very little to do in creating a panic, even if they did run. 
But testimony is abundant that these non-professional sol- 
diers really acted a noble part — that they, in reality, gi'eatly 
aided in restraining the headlong flight of brave regiments 
from the battle-field. An eye-witness wrote to the National 
Intelligencer : " Whatever credit there was in stopping that 
rout, is due wholly to Senators Wade and Chandler ; Repre- 
sentatives Blake, Eiddle and Morris ; Mr. Brown, Sergeant-at- 
Arms of the Senate ; Mr. Eaton of Detroit, and Thomas Brown 
of Cleveland. These gentlemen, armed with Maynard rifles 
and navy revolvers, sprang suddenly from their carriages some 
three miles this side of Centrcville, and, presenting their wea- 
pons, in loud voices commanded the fugitives -to halt and turn 
back. Their bold and determined manner brought most at that 
point to a stand-still. Many on horseback attempted to dash 
by them, and had their horses seized by the bits. Some of 
the fugitives were armed, and menaced these gentlemen ; and 
one, a powerful man, supposed to be a teamster, shot Mr. Eaton 
through the wrist, as he held his horse by the bridle-rein. 
None, however, were permitted to pass, except an army cou- 
rier, who exhibited his dispatches. Mr. Wade and his party 
held the crowd until the arrival of the First New Jersey regi- 
ment, then on its way toward the battle-ground, the Colonel 
of which turned back the flying soldiers and teamsters. Two 
or three ofiicers were stopped and turned back." We are glad 
to record this, to so well-known men, simple justice. Congress- 
man Ely, of New York, was taken prisoner in liis efforts to 
keep the men up to the assault. 

General McDowell was so overcome by fatigue, that while 
writing a short dispatch in the telegraph of&ce, at Fairfax, ho 



150 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

fell asleep three times. He had been busy all the night pre^ 
ceding in making preliminary arrangements, and had been in 
the saddle from two o'clock in the morning until ten at night. 
At nine and a half o'clock his dispatch was received at Wash- 
ington, announcing his retreat, and his purpose to make a 
stand at Centreville. At one and a half A. M. it was an- 
nounced that he would fall back to Fairfax. It was left 
to his own judgment whether to retire to the Potomac Hne 
or not. 

Eegarding the barbarity of the rebels, the stories told almost 
defied belief. The New York Herald correspondent wrote : 
" The barbarity practiced by the rebels towards wounded men 
in this encounter, throws to the winds the boasted chivalry of 
the South, and their assumption of Samaritan tendernesa 
They trampled the wounded and dying victims of their pow- 
der and lead to the ground — fired upon nm*ses engaged in car- 
rying away the mortally wounded — threw hot shot into build- 
ings used as hospitals, setting fire to them. The rebels 
engaged with our forces at Bull's Eun committed all those 
diabolical deeds, which have, as yet, only been equalled by the 
East India Sepoys and the Tartars of old. They commenced 
these acts on Thursday, this side of Bull's Run, on the wound- 
ed of the First Massachusetts and Twelfth New York volun- 
teer regiments, and continued it on Sunday." 

Such were the atrocities committed that a committee of 
investigatien was appointed by the Federal Congress to in- 
quire into and report concerning the matter. This was done, 
and the rejDort presented showed such a state of barbarism to 
have prevailed on the field, after the battle was over, too 
ehocking for belief. But the evidence is complete, and the 
insurgents must forever remain under the infamy of the dark 
record. Like the succeeding massacre of black soldiers at 
Fort Pillow — like the prearranged starvation of Federal 
prisoners in the prison pens of Andersonville and Saulsbury, 
and the Libby Prison, it proves that the spirit of treason was 
the spirit of the deviL __ 



XV. 



THE THIRD DISASTER. 

The Ball Bluff defeat, October 21st, 1861, was a melan- 
clioly affair resulting not only in disaster to our arms but in 
great loss of life, owing to a deficiency of transportation. Men 
were pressed by superior numbers back upon the river, (the 
Potomac,) there to find no adequate provision made for their 
safe passage over. Many were, therefore, hilled in making a 
last desperate stand at the river's bank, many plunged into 
the river only to be swept down by the current, many were 
taken prisoners — disasters which came after the battle was 
closed by defeat. The ranks of the regiments came forth from 
the conflict literally riddled, and their gallant leader. Colonel 
Baker, was among the slain. It was not a Bull's Eun stam- 
pede ; but a fearful sacrifice of men whose devotion and cour- 
age rendered their loss all the more keenly deplored. 

For several days prior to the 21st, the brigades on the right 
bank of the Potomac, above the Chain Bridge and the Falls 
of the Potomac, had been pushed up in the direction of Lees- 
burg. These brigades, however, commanded by General 
McCall, did not advance further than Drainesville, twelve 
miles south-east of Leesburg, although their scouts were push- 
ed forward to Goose Creek, four miles from that place. On 
Saturday and Sunday General McCall made two reconnois- 
Bances towards Leesburg, and could find no trace of the enemy. 
The country people declared that the rebels had abandoned 
that place some days before. 
20 



152 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

It was believed at "Wasliington that Leesburg had been 
evacuated by the rebels, that they had retired from that place 
to Aldie, ten miles south-west, where they were fortifying. 
Aldie is a stronger position than Leesburg, for there the rebels 
could place Goose Creek between themselves and the ad- 
vancing Union troops. Goose Creek is about the size of Bull's 
Eun, but has high and steep banks, and cannot be crossed by 
artillery, except by bridges. On the right bank of the creek 
are some high hills admirably calculated for defense, and 
these, it was understood, the rebels were fortifying. These 
facts, or rather, these reports, were current in the army and in 
Washington, 

General Stone, upon his own responsibility, it would appear, 
determined upon a demonstration toward Leesburg, looking to 
its occupation. 

McCall's movement upon Draincsville had excited the atten- 
tion of the enemy, it appeared ; for a regiment soon appeared 
near Edwards' Ferry, evidently to watch the movements of 
Stone. This regiment took position on a hill about one mile 
and a half from the ferry. It afterwards j^roved that the regi- 
ment was only " a blind" — that General Evans' forces, five 
thousand strong, had not evacuated Leesburg, but had feinted 
the evacuation to draw on the Federal forces. 

Stone having completed his arrangements, October 20th, 
proceeded, at one P. M., to Edwards' Ferry, from Poolsville, 
with Gorman's brigade, the Seventh Michigan volunteers, two 
troops of the Van Alen cavalry, and the Putnam Eangers, 
sending at the same time to Harrison's Island and vicinity four 
companies of the Fifteenth Massachusetts volunteers, under 
Colonel Devens, (who had already one company on the island,) 
and Colonel Lee with a battalion of the Twentieth Massachu- 
setts. And to Conrad's Ferry, a section of Vaughn's Ehode 
Island battery and the Tammany regiment, under Colonel 
Cogswell. A section of Bunting's New York State militia 
battery, under Lieutenant Bramhall, was at the time on duty 
at Conrad's Ferry, and Eickett's battery, already posted at 
Edwards' Feriy, under Colonel Woodruff, Orders were also 



OF THE WAR. 153 

sent to Colonel Devens, at Harrison's Island, some four miles 
up the river, to detach Captain Philbrick and twenty men to 
cross from the island and explore by a path through woods 
little used, in the direction of Leesburg, to see if he could find 
anything concerning the enemy's position in that direction ; 
but to retire and report on discovering any of the enem}^ 

General Gorman was ordered to deploy his forces in view of 
the enemy, and in so doing, no movement of the enemy was 
excited. Three flat-boats were ordered, and at the same time 
shell and spherical case shot was thrown into the place of the 
enemy's concealment. This was done to produce an impres- 
sion that a crossing was to be made. The shelling of Edwards' 
Ferry, and launching of the boats, induced the quick retire- 
ment of the enemy's force seen there, and three Hoat-loads, of 
thirty-five men each, from the First Minnesota, under cover 
of the shelling,, crossed and recrossed the river, the boats con- 
suming in crossing from three to seven minutes. The spirit 
displayed by officers and men at the thought of crossing the 
river was cheering, and satisfied the General that they could 
be depended on for gallant service. 

As darkness came on, General Stone ordered Gorman's bri- 
gade and the Seventh Michigan to fall back to their respect- 
ive camps, but retained the Tammany regiment, the compa- 
nies of the Fifteenth Massachusetts a-nd artillery near Conrad's 
Ferry, in their position, waiting the result of Captain Phil- 
brick's scout, he (Stone) remaining with his Staff at Edwards' 
Ferry. About four P. M., Lieutenant Howe, Quartermaster 
of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, reported to General Stone 
that Captain Philbrick had returned to the island after pro- 
ceeding, unmolested, to within a mile and a half of Lees- 
burg, and that he had there discovered, in the edge of a 
wood, an encamxpment of about thirty tents, which he ap- 
proached to within twenty-five rods without being challenged, 
the camp having no pickets out any distance in the directiou 
of the river. 

General Stone at once sent orders to Colonel Devens to cross 
four companies of his regiment to the Virginia shore, and 



154 



INCIDEKTS AND ANECDOTES 



march silently, vmder tlie cover of night, to the position of the 
camp referred to, to attack and destroy it at daybreak, pursue 
the enemy lodged there as far as would be prudent with the 
small force, and return rapidly to the island ; his return to be 
covered by the Massachusetts Twentieth, which was directed to 
be posted on a bluff' directly over the landing place. Colonel 
Devens was ordered to use this opportunity to observe the 
approaches to Leesburgh, and the position and force of the 
enemy in the vicinity, and in case he found no enemy, or found 
him only weak and in a position where he could observe well 
and be secure until his party could be strengthened suihciently 
to make a valuable reconnoissance, which should safely ascer- 
tain the position and force of the enemy, to hold on and report 
Orders were dispatched to Colonel Baker, to send the First 
California regiment to Conrad's Ferry, to arrive there at sun- 
rise, and to have the remainder of his brigade in a state of 
readiness to move after an early breakfast. Also to Lieutenant- 
Colonel Ward, of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, to move with a 
battalion of a regiment to the river bank opposite Ilai-rison's 
Island, to arrive there by daybreak. Two mounted howitzers, 
from Eickett's battery, were detailed to the tow-path opposite 
Harrison's Island. 

In order to distract attention from Colonel Devens' move- 
ment, and at the same time to effect reconnoissance in the 
direction of Leesburgh from Edwards' Ferry, General Stone 
ordered General Gorman to throw across the river at that 
point, two companies of Fii-st Minnesota, under cover of fire 
from Rickett's battery, and sent a party of thirty-one Van Alen 
cavalry, under command of Major Mix, accompanied by Cap- 
tain Charles Stewart, Assistant Adjutant- General ; Captain 
Murphy, Lieutenants Pierce and Gouraud, with ordei-s to 
advance along Leesburgh road until they should come to the 
vicinity of the battery, which, was known to be on that road, 
and then turn to the ]eft, and examine the heights between 
that and Goose Creek ; see if any of the enemy were posted in 
that vicinity, ascertain as near as possible their number and 
disposition, examine the country with reference to the passage 



OF THE WAR. 155 

of troops to the Leesburgli and Georgetown turnpike, and 
return rapidly to cover beliind tlie skirmishers of tlie First 
Minnesota. 

This reconnoissance was most galhantly made by all in the 
party, which proceeded along the Leesburgli -road nearly three 
miles from the ferry, and when near the position of a hidden 
battery, came suddenly on a Mississippi regiment about thirty- 
five yards distant, received its fire and returned it with their 
pistols. The fire of the enemy killed one horse, but Lieutenant 
Gouraad, the gallant Adjutant of the cavalry battalion, seized 
the dismounted man, and drawing him on his horse behind 
him carried him safely from the field. One private of the 
Fourth Virginia cavalry was brought off by the party, and as 
he was well mounted and armed, his mount replaced the one 
lost by the fire of the enemy. 

Meantime Colonel Devens on the right, having in pursuance 
of his orders arrived at the position indicated by tlie scouts 
as the site of the enemy's camp, found that they had been 
deceived by the uncertain light, and had mistaken the open- 
ings in the trees for a row of tents. He found however, wood, 
in which he concealed his force from view, and proceeded to 
examine the space between that and Leesburgli, sending back 
word to General Stone, that thus far he could see no enemy. 
Immediately on receipt of this intelligence, which was carried 
by Lieutenant Howe, Quartermaster of the Fifteenth Massa- 
chusett, General Stone ordered a non-commissioned officer and 
ten cavalry to join Colonel Devens, for the purpose of scouring 
the country near him, while he continued his reconnoissance, 
and to give him due notice of the approach of any enemy, and 
that Lieutenant-Colonel Ward, with his battalion of the Fif- 
teenth Massachusetts, should move on to Smart's Mill, lialf-a- 
mile to the right of the crossing-place of Colonels Devens and 
Lee, where, in strong position, he could watch and protect the 
flank of Colonel Devens on his return, and secure a second 
crossing-place more favorable than the first, and connected by 
a good road with Leesburgh. 



156 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Captain Candy, Assistant Adjutant-General, and General 
Lander, accompanied the cavalry, to serve witli it. 

The battalion under Colonel Ward was detained on tlie 
bluff in the rear of Colonel Deven, instead of being directed to 
the right. 

Stone said in his official report : " For some reason never 
explained to me, neither of these orders were carried out. The 
cavalry vf ere transferred to the Virginia shore, but were sent 
back without having left the shore to go inland, and thus 
Colonel Devens was deprived of the means of obtai aiug warn- 
ing of any approach of the enemy." The report then went on 
to state the orders given to Colonel Baker, under which he 
acted, viz. : 

" Colonel Baker having arrived at Conrad's Ferry, with the First 
California regiment at an early hour, proceeded to Edwards' Ferry, and 
reported to me in person, stating that his regiment was at the former 
place, and the three other regiments -of his brigade ready to march. I 
directed him to Harrison's Island to assume command, and in a fuU 
conversation explained lo him the position as it then stood. I told him 
that General McCall had advanced his troops to Drainsville, and that I 
was extremely desirous of ascertaining the exact position and force of 
the enemy in our front, and exploring, as far as it was safe, on the right 
towards Leesburgh, and on the left towards the Lcesburgh and Gum 
Spring road. I also informed Colonel Baker that General Gorman, oppo- 
site Edwards' Ferry, should be reenforceil, and that I would make every 
effort to push Gorman's troops carefully forward, to discover the best 
line from that Ferry to the Leesburgh and Gum Spring road, already 
mentioned, and the position of the breastworks and hidden batteries, 
which prevented the movement of troops directly from left to right, 
were also pointed out to him. 

" The means of transportation across, of the sufficiency of which ho 
(Baker) was to be the judge, was detailed, and authority given him to 
make use of the guns of a section each of Vaughan's and Bunting's bat- 
teries, together with French's mountain howitzers (of Rickett' battery), 
all the troops of his brigade and the Tammany regiment, beside tho 
Nineteenth and part of the Twentieth regiments of Massachusetts volun- 
teers. I left it to his discretion, after viewing the ground, to retire 
from the Virginia shore under the cover of his guns and the lire of the 
large infantry force, or to pass our rccuforcements in case he found it 



v^ 



OP THE WAR. 15T 

practicable, and the position on the other side fixvorable. I stated that 
1 wished no advance made unless the enemy were of inferior force, and 
under no circumstance to pass beyond Leesburgh, or a strong position 
between it and Goose Creek, on the Gum Spring, i. e., the Manasses 
road. Colonel Baker was cautioned in reference to passing artillery 
across the rivei', and I begged, if he did so, to see it well supported by 
good infantry. The General pointed out to him the position of some 
bluflfs on this side of the river, from which artillery could act with effect 
on the other, and, leaving the matter of crossing more troops or retiring 
what were already over, to his discretion, gave him entire control of 
operations on the right. This gallant and energetic officer left me about 
nine A. M. or half-past nine, and galloped of quickly to his command." 
This statement is precise, and if Colonel Baker was caught 
without transports for a retreat, was surprised hy an over- 
whelming force which cut ofl' his retreat, in part, it was not 
General Stone's fault, if the orders explicitly detailed above 
were given and were understood. Baker's friends as explicitly 
state that he undertook the enterprize, conscious that he should 
be overwhelmed, and that he so expressed himself to General 
Stone, urging the practical inipossibility, with the transports at 
his disposal, of throwing over the river the force which he 
deemed safe — but was ordered forward. From an examination 
of all the evidence produced, we credit the General's state- 
ment, and feel that the censures heaped upon him were really 
unmerited. 

Eeenforeements were rapidly thrown to the Vii'ginia side by 
General Gorman, at Edwards' Ferry, and his slcirmisliers and 
cavalry scouts advanced cautiously and steadily to the front 
and right, while the infantry lines were formed in such posi- 
tion as to act rapidly and in concert, in case of an advance of 
the enemy, and shells were thrown by Lieutenant Woodruff's 
Parrott guns, especial care being taken to annoy the enemy by 
the battery on the right. 

Messengers from Harrison's Island informed General Stone, 
soon after the arrival of Colonel Baker opposite the island, that 
he was crossing his whole force as rapidly as possible, and that 
he had caused an additional flat-boat to be lifted from the 
canal into the river, and had provided a line, by which to cross 
the boats more rapidly. 



158 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

During the morning a sharp skirmisli took place, between 
two of the advance companies of the Fifteenth Massachusetta 
and a body of about one hundred strong of Mississippi rifle- 
men, during which a body of the enemy's cavalry appeared, 
causing Colonel Deveus to fall back in good order on Colonel 
Lee's position, after which he again advanced, his officers and 
men behaving admirably, fighting, retiring, and advancing in 
perfect order, and exhibiting every proof of high courage and 
good discipline. Had he, at this time, had the cavalry scout- 
ing party which was sent him in the morning, but which, most 
unfortunately, had been turned back without his knowledge, 
he could, doubtless, have had timely warning of the approach 
of the superior force, which afterwards oveovhelmed his regi- 
ment and their brave commander and comrades. To that 
surprise was owing the disaster. 

General Stone, evidently thinking that Colonel Baker might 
be able to use more artillery, dispatched to him two additional 
pieces of Vaughan's battery, supported by two companies of 
infantry, with directions to its officer to come into position 
below the place of crossing, and report to Colonel Baker. 
Later in the day, and but a short time prior to the arrival of 
the guns. Colonel Baker suggested the same movement to 
General Stone, thus justifying the General's opinion. 

A correspondent of the New York Times said, in reference 
to the transports and their apparent want of capacity : 

" After Colonel Devens' second advance, Colonel Baker 
seems to have gone to the field in person, but he has left no 
record of what officers and men he charged with the care of the 
boats, and insuring the regular passage of the troops. If any 
one was charged with this duty, it was not performed, for it 
appears that the reenforcements, as they arrived, found no 
system enforced, and the boats were delayed most unneces- 
sarily in transporting back, a few at a time, the wounded that 
happened to arrive with attendants. Had an efficient officer 
been in charge at each landing, with one company guarding 
the boats, their full capacity would have been made service- 
able, and sufficient men would have passed on to secure the 



OF THE WAR. . 159 

success of his operation. The forwarding of artillery (neces- 
sarily a slow process) before its supporting force of infantry, 
also impeded the rapid assembling of an imposing force on the 
Virginia shore. The infantry which was waiting with impa- 
tience should have been first transported, and this alone would 
have made a difference in the infantry line at the time of 
attack of at least one thousand men — enough to have turned 
the scale in our favor." 

It was about one o'clock P. M., when the enemy appeared in 
force, in front of Colonel Devens. A sharp skirmish then, 
ensued, which was maintained for some time by the IVTassa- 
chusetts Fifteenth. Unsupported, and finding himself about 
to be outflanked, Colonel Devens retired a short distance in 
good order, and took up a position in the edge of the wood, 
about half-a-mile in front of Colonel Lee's position, where he 
remained until two P. M., when he again retired with the 
approach of Colonel Baker, and took his place in line with 
those portions of the Twentieth Massachusetts and First Cali- 
fornia regiments which had arrived. 

Colonel Baker at once formed his line, awaiting the attack 
of the enemy, which came upon him with great vigor about 
three p. m., and was met with admirable spirit by our troops, 
who, though evidently struggling against largely superior 
numbers, nearly if not quite three to one, maintained their 
ground and a most destructive fire upon the enemy. 

Colonel Cogswell, with a small portion of his regiment, suc- 
ceeded in reaching the field in the midst of the heaviest fire, 
and they Nvent gallantly into action with a yell, which wavered 
the enemy's line. 

Lieutenant Bramhall, of Bunting's battery, had succeeded, 
after exertions of labor, in bringing up a piece of the Ehodo 
Island battery, and Lieutenant French, First artillery, his two 
mountain howitzers ; but while for a short time these main- 
tained a well-directed fire, both ofiicers and nearly all the men 
were soon borne away wounded, and the pieces were handed 
to the rear to prevent their falling into the hands of the 
enemy. 

21 



160 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

At nboiit four o'clock P. M., Colonel Baker, pierced by a 
number of balls, fell at tlie bead of bis command, wbile cheer- 
ing on his men, and by bis own example maintaining the ob- 
stinate resistance tbey were making. In full uniform, -witb a 
" re2;ulation" bat and feather, and mounted on bis horse, be 
was a conspicuous mark for the bloodthirsty traitors. He was 
one of the finest appearing men in full uniform and mounted 
that I have seen in the service. Entirely regardless of per- 
sonal safety, he led and cheered on his men. He remarked to 
those around him, "A rascal up in that tree has fired at me 
five or six times ;" and the rascal in the tree was speedily 
brought down by a well-directed ball. Shortly after this 
Colonel Baker was surrounded by a body of rebel cavalry and 
taken prisoner ; but the right wing of the battalion charged 
with the bayonet, routed the cavalry, killed numbers of thenij 
and recaptured their Colonel. 

But a few minutes had elapsed, however, before a tall, fero- 
cious Virginian, with red hair and whiskers^ came rushing 
from behind a tree, with a huge revolver in his .hand, and, 
placing the weapon almost against the Colonel's head, inflicted 
a mortal wound. Not satisfied with his deadly work, he fired 
the second ball, while simultaneously the body was pierced 
with four bullets from the tops of trees, and the brave Colonel 
fell lifeless from his horse. 

Captain Louis Berial, of New York city, commanding Com- 
pany G., California regiment, seeing the assassination of Colo- 
nel Baker, rushed upon the ruffian, seized him by the throat, 
and shot him dead on the spot with his revolver. 

Colonel Lee then took command, and prepared to commence 
throwing our forces to the rear, but Colonel Cogswell, of the 
Tammany regiment, beimg found to be senior in rank, assumed 
command, and ordered dispositions to be made immediately 
for marching to the left, and cutting a way through to 
Edwards' Ferry. 

Unfortunately, just as the first dispositions were being 
made, an officer of the enemy rode rapidly in front of the 
Tammany regiment and beckoned them towards the enemy. 



OF THE WAR. 161 

Whether the Tammany understood this as an order from one 
of our officers, or an invitation to close work, is not known ; 
but the men responded to the gesture with a yell, and charged 
forward, carrying with them in their advance the rest of the 
line, which soon received a murderous fire from the enemy at 
close distance. Our officers rapidly recalled the men, but in 
the position they had now placed themselves, it was imprac- 
ticable to make the movement designed, and Colonel Cogswell 
reluctantl}^ gave the order to retire. The enemy pursued our 
troops to the edge of the blufi:' over the landing-place, and 
thence poured in a heavy fire on the men who were endeavor- 
ing to cross to the island. 

Rapid as the retreat necessarily was, there was no neglect 
of orders. The men formed near the river, deploying as skir- 
mishers, and maintained for twenty minutes or more the une- 
qual and hopeless contest rather than surrender. 

The smaller boats had disappeared, no one knew whither. 
The largest boat, rapidly and too heavily laden, swamped some 
fifteen feet from the shore, and nothing was left to the gallant 
soldiers but to swim, surrender«)r die. 

With a devotion worthy of the cause they are serving, offi- 
cers and men, while quarter was being offered to such as would 
lay down their arms, stripped themselves of their swords and 
muskets and hurled them out into the river to prevent their 
falling into the hands of the foe, and saved themselves as they 
could by swimming, floating on logs, and concealing them- 
selves in bushes and forests to make their way up and down 
the river, back to a place of crossing. 

The Times correspondent, already quoted from, and who 
appears to have been in the confidence of General Stone, said : 

" "Wliile these scenes were being enacted on the right, Geneual Stone 
was preparing for a rapid push forward to the road by which the enemy 
would retreat if driven, and entirely unsuspicious of the perilous condi- 
tion of the troojis on the right. The additional artillery had already 
been sent in anticipation, and General Stone was told by a messenger 
from Baker's position, that the Colonel could, without doubt, hold his 
own iu case he did not advance. Half an hour later — say at half-past 



162 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

three r. m. — a similar statomcnt was made by another messenger from 
Colonel Baker, and it was the expectation of General Stone th<'.t an ad< 
vance on the right would be made, so that he could push forward Gen- 
eral Gorman. It was, as had been explained to Colonel Baker, imprac- 
ticable to throw Gorman's brigade directly to the right, by reason of 
the battery in the wood, between which we had never been able to 
reconnoitre." 

Presuming that all was progressing favorably, Stone tele- 
graphed to General Banks requesting Lim to send a brigade 
of Ins division, intending it to occupy the ground on the Mary- 
land side of the river, near to Harrison's Island, Avliicli could 
be abandoned in case of a rapid advance. 

Captain Candy arrived at liead-quarters from tlie field of 
Colonel Baker about five r. M., and announced to General 
Stone tb3 news of Colonel Baker's death, but giving no new3 
of further disaster, though he stated that reenforcements were 
slow. General Stone telegraphed this fact to General Banks, 
and the fact of Colonel Baker's death, and instantlj^ rode to 
the right to assume command. Before he reached the point 
opposite the island, evidences of disaster began to be met, in 
men who had crossed the river by swimming, and on reach- 
ing the landing the fact was asserted in a manner leaving 
no possible doubt. It was reported to General Stone that4,he 
enemy's force was ten thousand — an evident exaggeration- 
He gave orders to hold the island for the removal of the 
wounded, and established a patrol on the tow-path- from oppo- 
site the island to the line of pickets near Monocacy, and then 
returned to the left, to secure the troops there from disaster, 
preparing means of removing them as rapidly as possible. 

Orders arrived from head-quarters of the army of the Poto- 
mac to hold the island and Virginia shore at Edwards' Ferry 
at all hazards, and promising reenforcements, and General 
Stone forwarded additional intrenching tools to General Gor- 
man, with instructions lo intrench and hold oat against any 
force that might appear. That evening General Stone learned 
by telegraph that General Banks was on the way to reenforce 
him, and st about three A, M., he arrived and assumed command. 



XVI. 



INCIDENTS OF THE BALL S BLUFF DISASTER. 

The instances of personal gallantry of tlie highest order 
were so many, that it would be unjust now to detail particular 
cases. Officers displayed for their men, and men for their 
officers, that beautiful devotion which is only to be found 
among true soldiers. Eegiment after regiment of fresh rebel 
troops, came rushing upon them down the hill, yelHng like 
fiends, and pouring in deadly volleys, while the trees still 
swarmed with riflemen, who made the air black with bullets 
aimed at our devoted little band. At times the contending 
parties were within four or live feet of each other ; still our 
men stood steadily, returning their, fire, or plunging at them 
with the bayonet So near were they at one time tliat our 
men actually caught a lieutenant, by seizing him as he stood in 
the enemy's ranks. He was taken over the river safely by hi3 
captors. 

During the fiercest portion of the struggle, an officer, 
mounted on a fine horse, rushed forward from the woods, ex- 
claiming to the Federal forc« behind him : " Rally on me, 
boys !" Knowing that other Union regiments were to cross 
another ferry, some of our men were deceived and followed the 
horseman ; but they were led as sheep to the slaughter, for 
they had proceeded but a few rods when a deadly volley was 
poured into them, killing many and hastily dispersing the rest. 
In a few minutes the same man appeared again, to try the same 
game. Colonel Baker chanced to see him and exclaimed, 



164 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

" Good heaven ! there is Johnson, what is he doing there ?' 
It was not the rebel General, however, but some other, equally 
bold and unscrupulous. 

The apparent desertion of Leesburg was only a ruse on 
the part of the enemy, who had drawn their forces out of the 
town, and were posted in strength in such positions between 
Leesburg and the river, that they could enfilade our advancing 
columns, and attack them not only in front and in the flanks, 
but in the rear also. Skirmishers were thrown out as the 
column advanced, but no signs of an enemy were seen, until 
the brigade had advanced fully half-way to their destination. 
The first intimation of the presence of the enemy was the 
simultaneous discharge of about a hundred rifles, from a thicket 
on the top of an eminence. The fire was received by the right 
wing of the Fifteenth Massachusetts, who were in the advance. 
A lieutenant and six or eight men were killed, and eighteen 
severely wounded. Three companies, however, immediately 
dashed up the slope, in the direction of the fire, and, on reach- 
ing the spot, found themselves confronted with a regiment of 
Mississippi riflemen, who, reserving their fire till our brave 
fellows were within thirty yards, poured into them another 
volley. A captain, a lieutenant, and twelve or thirteen men 
were killed by this discharge. Our men, however, nothing 
daunted, delivered their fire with good eifect, and then charged 
with the bayonet. The enemy did not wait for the latter, but 
cut and ran towards Leesburg in disorder. Colonel Devens 
then pushed on, but soon found that even that apparent flight 
was a ruse to draw him on. He was soon so surrounded as to 
have but little hope of the escape of a single person in his 
ranks. It is stated that the conduct of Colonel Baker, in his 
effort to rescue the Massachusetts and other men, under fire, 
was heroic beyond description. 

' Just prior to the fall of Colonel Baker, the enemy made a 
flank movement to turn the latter's line. Colonel Baker, per- 
ceiving this, immediately wrote an order to be conveyed to 
the Tammany companies, which had just arrived, and while 
the right w;as facing his command, to meet the flank move- 



OF THE WAR. 165 

ment, and when about giving orders to charge, lie was killed, 
falling ten feet in advance of his column. 

One of the bravest of the brave was Lieutenant Bramhall, 
of the New York Ninth. He was in command of two pieces 
of artillery, one of which was left on the island when the ad- 
vance was made. During the fight he was wounded by a 
spent ball in his back, and had two other bullets pass through 
him, through his side. He was carried to the island. When 
the rout took place, he asked Rev. Mr. Scanlan what he should 
do with his battery, where he should place it to cover the 
retreat Then, as the thought flashed into his mind, said, " I 
"will place it to cover Conrad's Ferry." And though thus 
wounded, he called two soldiers to his aid, who carried him in 
their arms round the island, and sustained him while he placed 
his battery in position ! He was about 23 years of age. Be- 
sides these wounds, he had six bullets pass through his clothes 
and hat. One struck the scabbard of his sword. It was only 
till he had got every thing right about his guns that he would 
allow himself to be brought from the island. 

A German sergeant, on seeing his captain fall, toward tho 
close of the fight, collected four or five files of his company, 
about a dozen men altogether, and crying, " Boys, we can only 
die once ; we'll avenge the captain's death." led them fighting 
into the very heart of the enemy's position. He immediately 
disappeared, and nothing was afterward seen of him or any 
of his band. 

The officers and men behaved with the most extraordinary 
courage. They were pressed by an overpowering force, but 
stood firm until their whole supply of ammunition was 
exhausted, and then retreated to the river, and threw their 
guns and swords into it to prevent the enemy getting posses- 
sion of them. Colonel Raymond Lee and staff were furnished 
with a skiff to make their escape. The Colonel gallantly 
refused, and gave orders to use it for conveying the wounded 
across the river. It was filled with wounded, who reached the 
Maryland shore in safety, and the humane and gallant ofiicer 
was taken prisoner. 



16(1 INCIDENTS. AND ANECDOTES 

Many of tlie survivors of tlie fight escaped by s"wimming. 
Captain Crowninsheld, long known in Harvard as the stroke- 
oar of the boat club, swam to Harrison's Island, without 
clothing, and saving nothing but his watch, which he carried 
in his mouth. Being greatly fatigued, he turned in beneath 
the most convenient hay-rick, and slept till morning, when, in 
the hurry of departure, and the especial anxiety of procuring 
clothes, he departed without giving a thought to the watch 
which he had taken such pains to keep possession of the night 
before, and which he had tucked away beside him before going 
to sleep. 

A story was related of an Irishman in company D, of the 
Massachusetts Fifteenth, which is very funny. When the 
retreat was ordered, he threw off his coat and pants and 
plunged into the icy current of the Potomac. He swam boldly 
across the river, and had just gained the Maryland shore, when 
he remembered that he had left $13 25 in the pocket of his 
coat. " Be jabers, Bill}^," said he, " thim thirteen dollars is in 
me coat, and the bloody ribels will git 'em, and besides, I can't 
consint to part with the amount, so I'll jist go for them," and 
in he plunged again. lie got safely over, found his coat, 
secured his money, and recrossed the river. I saw him in 
camp this afternoon, and congratulated him on his pluck, endur- 
ance and success, to which he replied, " Oh, yis sir, 'twas all 
I'd saved from my three months' sarvice^ and I'm very fond 
of me pipe." 

A most exciting scene transpired at the sinking of the 
launch, in which were some sixty wounded men. and twenty 
or thirty members of the California First. The launch had 
been safely taken halfway across the river, when, to their 
utter consternation, it was discovered that it was leaking, and 
the water gradually, but surely, gaining upon them. The 
wounded were lying on the bottom of the launch — some shot 
in the head, others mangled by the tramp of cavalry, and 
others suffering intolerably from their various dislocations, 
wounds and injuries, and all soaking in water, which, at the 
very start, was fully four inches deep. As the water grew 



OF THE WAR. 167 

deeper and rose above the prostrate forms of the wouniled, 
their comrades lifted them into sitting postures, that they 
might not be strangled by the fast-rising stream. Despite all 
that could be done, the f\ite of the launch, and all that were in 
, with the exception of a few expert swimmers, was sealed ; 
suddenly, and like a flash of lightning, the rotten craft sank, 
carrying with it at least fifty dying, mangled, groaning suffer- 
ers, and some twenty or thirty others, who had trusted their 
lives to its treacherous hold. 

After all was finished, and the fragments of the regiments 
were brought together at the water's edge, it was determined 
to push upward along the shore, with the uncertain hope of 
finding some means of recrossing to the Maryland side. In 
the event of meeting the enemy, however, it was determined 
to surrender at once, since any contest under the circum- 
stances would be a useless sacrifice of life. After progressing 
a mile or so, the ofiicers (Captains Bartlett and Tremlett, and 
Lieutenants Whittier and Abbott) discovered a mill, sur- 
rounded by cottages, about which numbers of persons were 
seen moving. Here it seemed that they must yield. The 
officers ordered a halt, and directed the men to cast all their 
Jti'ms into the river, so that the enemy should gain as little as 
possible by the surrender. Lieutenant Whittier walked on in 
advance with a white handkerchief tied on his sword, to be 
used when occasion shoald demand. The first person met 
was an. old negro, who, though greatly terrified, contrived to 
reveal that an old boat was stored near the mill, which might 
be bailed out and used to convey the fugitives across the 
river. A gift of five dollars insured his services, and the boat 
was in due time launched and ready for use. It was small, 
and only a few could pass at each trip. Until dawn it passed 
back and forth, until all were transferred in safety. One offi- 
cer went over in the third boat, to keep the men well together 
on the Maryland side ; the others waited till the last. For 
that service the old negro was afterwards dreadfully whipped, 
and onl}^ escaped more tortures by " passing over Jordan" — 
crossing the Potomac and making his way to Pennsylvania. 
22 



168 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Before starling upon the expedition on Monday morning, 
the men had left their knapsacks and blankets upon Harrison's 
Island. In the retreat it was impossible for more than a few 
to gather them up again. A Lieutenant volunteered on Wed- 
nesday, after the island had been visited by the rebel scouts, 
to go over with five and collect what remained. He did so, 
and returned with more than a hundred knapsacks and blan- 
kets, to the great comfort of many of the men who had suf- 
fered from the icy weather. While there, the men scoured 
nearly Hhe whole island, but could not be persuaded to enter 
the building which had been used as a hospital, in which so 
many corpses of their former comrades lay. 

The loss of the Federals in this affair never was accurately 
stated. About seventy were killed ; as many were drowned 
and shot in the water ; over one hundred and fifty were 
wounded; and about four hundred were taken jjrisoners. 
The rebel General in command, Evans, in his report of the 
affair, stated his forces to have been twenty-five hundred, and 
his loss to have been three hundred killed and wounded. 
The Federal force, all told, was seventeen hundred and fifty. 

Note. — As to the responsibility-of the movement made, and of the 
surprise, the following orders will afford due light ; they were: found 
in the Colonel's hat, underneath the lining. Both were deeply stain- 
ed with Colonel Baker's blood, and one of the bullets, which went 
through his head, carried away a corner of the first : 

Edwakds" Fekry, October 21st, 18G1. 
Colonel E. D. Baker, Commaiidcr of Brigade: 

Colonel: In case of lieavy firing in front of Harrison's Island, you will ad- 
vance the California regiment of your brigade, or retire the regiments under 
Colonels Lee and Devens, now on the [almost rendered illegible by blood] Vir- 
ginia side of the river, at your discretion — assuming command on arrival. 

Very respectfully, Colonel, your most obedient servant, 

CHARLES P. STONE, Brigadier-General Commanding. 

The second order, which follows, Avas delivered on the battle-field 
by Colonel Cogswell, who said to Colonel Baker, in reply to a ques- 
tion what it meant, " All right, go ahead." Thereupon, Colonel Ba- 
ker put it in his hat without reading. An hour afterward he fell. 

Edwards' Fekry, October 22d — 11:50. 

E. D. Bakbs, CoMiiANDiNa BiuQADE — CoLONEL : I am iuformed that the forca 



OF THE WAR.'^ 169 

\- 

of the enemy is about four thousand, all told. If you can push them, you may 
do so as far as to have a strong position nearlLeesburg, if you can keep them 
befere you, avoiding their batteries. If they pass Leesburg and take the Gum 
Springs road, you will not follow far, but seize the first good position to cover 
that road. Tlieir desire is to draw us on, if they are obliged to retreat as far as 
Goose creek, where they can be re-enforced from Manassas, and have a strong 
position. Report frequently, so that, when they are pushed, Gorman can come 
up on their flank. Yours, respectfully and truly, CHARLES P. STONE, 

Brigadier-General Commanding. 
This little error of the Colonel — in not reading the last dispatch — 
was the cause of the surprise. Colonel Cogswell's remark — "All right, 
go ahead! " doubtless served to ans-wer, in Baker's mind, for the con- 
tents of the envelop, and therefore it was not broken open. It serves 
at least to relieve General Stone from the inattention and ignorance 
of the enemy's force which wei'e freely charged ujjon him at one time. 
The movement over the river was Stone's conception, and that re- 
mains open for stricture. 



XVIL 



THE SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTH. \ 

The Soiitliern States, from the first stages of their rebellion 
against the Federal Government, put forward as a justification, 
the oppressions of that central power, and cited the Declaration 
of Independence as their defence. This assumption was indig- 
nantly denied by Northern men ; in Congress and out of it an 
overwhelming sentiment pronounced the rebellion "causeless, 
wicked, and unnatural," with " no justification in the law of the 
country, nor in the higher law of self-protection." From this dis- 
cordance sprung the passions and impulses necessary to feed the 
fires of discord ; and watchful " guardians of Southern inter* 



170 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ests," were not slow to fan the flames to a point of lawlessness 
neaessaiy to "precipitate" States into the vortex of insurrec- 
tion. Success in the secession movement depended solely on 
the ability of the leaders to fire the popular passions to the 
point of hate of the North, and defiance of its association. 
"Without a complete success in that direction, the revolution 
would become nerveless from inanition. A thousand devices 
were conceived to accomplish the desired end ; and the secret 
history of the insurrection, if it ever shall be divulged, will be 
found rich in intrigue, profuse in duplicity, mighty in false- 
hood — all directed to the one purpose of " firing the Southern 
heart." 

The repudiation of debts due to Northern merchants and 
manufacturers, became one of the earliest and most exciting 
facts of the Southern movement It argued a demoralized 
sentiment of probity, which equally alarmed and angered the 
Northern people. The Southern merchants had, in exception 
to all commercial usage, obtained credits to an extraordinary 
amount, upon extraordinary time. A customer had but to 
sa}^, " I am from the Cotton States," in order to obtain almost 
any credit desired. That secret and powerful inquisition, the 
" Commercial Agency," was scarcely consulted as to the 
Southerner's personal standing and commercial res]X)nsibility 
— so eager was the deluded merchant to secure a '" Southern 
trade." The wretched list of failures in the winter and spring 
of 18G1 ever will remain as a monument of Northern commer- 
cial temerity in the matter of Southern credits. 

The spirit which found an excuse for allowing paper to go 
to protest, and followed the protest with a note cxi)ressing 
satisfliction at the refusal to pay, soon betrayed itself in a 
passage of " stay" laws, in the Seceded States, and in the visi- 
tations of violence upon all agents of Northern business firms 
who sought out the recreant debtor in hopes of obtaining some 
satisfaction for the overdue claim. Lawyers banded together 
not to receive Northern claims for collection, while the people 
banded together to drive away any unlucky wight who pro- 
posed to do what the lawyei*s refused — to collect his owa 



OP THE "WAR. 171 

accounts. The agents, however, soon " made themselves 
scarce," as the vulgar, but significant, announcements in the 
papers recorded. Tar and feathers, and an escort of a " com- 
mittee of citizens" to the nearest railway station, were such 
inevitable results as served to rid an " indignant community" 
of all " Northern vagabonds" early in the year (1860.) 

These occasional persecutions of collectors and agents 
seemed to engender an appetite for the excitement ; and it 
became a very honorable calling for committees to spy out 
every man of Northern birth — to seek to inculpate him in 
some way, in order to allow of the usual warning " to leave." 
As early as February (1861) these inquisitions became so 
frequent, that large numbers of persons — chiefly Northern-born 
mechanics and tradesmen, who had found employ and a busi- 
ness in the South — fled for their lives, leaving behind all their 
possessions. To meet these refngees in Northern cities became 
of such frequent occurrence, in February and March, that the 
public almost tired of their uniform stories of injuries received 
and sufferings endured. 

The spirit of anger was fast culminating, not in a national, 
or even sectional resentment, but in a species of inhuman 
personal malice, which served to ally that revolution to the 
Sepoy drama. Lawlessness towards Government soon begat 
lawlessness towards society — the dragon's teeth grew with 
fearful fecundity. The demoralization betrayed itself even in 
the changed tone of the secession portion of the Southern 
press. As an evidence, we may quote one of a great many 
similar notices made of General Scott — even by professedly 
respectable journals like the Kichmond Inquirer. The 
Montgomery (Alabama) Mail (February 6th) contained this 
paragrpph : 

" We observe tliat the students of Franklin College, Georgia, burned 
General Scott in efRgy a few days ago, ' as a traitor to the South.' This 
is well. If any man living deserves such infamy, it is the Lieutenaut- 
General of the (Yankee) United States. And we have a proposition to 
make, thereanent, to all the young men of the South, wherever scat- 
tered, at school or college ; and that is, that they burn this man in effigy 
all through the South, on the evening of the 4tU of March next. The 



172 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Btudents of the South are an imijortant class of our rising geuerfttion. 
Let them make an epoch in tlie history of our sunny land, to which 
legend, and tale, and song, shall point in after j^ears. General Scott 
deserves this grand infamy. He is a traitor to the soil of his birth ; 
false to all the princii)les of the Commonwealth which nurtured him ,• 
the tool, willing, pliant, and bloody, of our oppressors ; and it is meet 
that his name should descend to our posterity as a word of execration I 
What say the students ?" 

Some notices of the war-worn veteran — wlio had added 
more glory to the American name than any man since the 
" Father of his Country" — were so violent and vulgar as to 
forbid their repetition here, even though they might reflect, 
with stinging severity, upon a state of society which could be 
pleased with such impotent malice. 

To show the nature of the persecutions inflicted on those 
" suspected," in the revolutionary States, we shall cite a few 
from the numerous well-authenticated instances, that they may 
stand before a Christian world, as an evidence of the civiliza- 
tion which springs from a state of society like that which con- 
trols the Southern States of America. 

An advertisement appeared in a New York daily, February 
18th, (1861) as follows : 

" Farming Managek. — An Englishman by birth, having had very 
extensive experience in breeding, raising, buying and selling of all kinds 
of cattle and sheep in his own country, and who has been engaged 
North in agriculture for three years, and South for two, is on his way to 
New York, having been expelled, and his property confiscated, on sus- 
picion of being opposed to Slavery. He would like to engage with any 
gentleman having room lo grow grain and I'oots, and to farm on a 
modern, enlightened system, not looking to corn alone. He is forty, 
and has a small family. Address ." 

This case was that of a person named Gardiner. He had 
taken a farm " on shares," near Wilmington, North Carolina. 
In August, September, and October, he labored assiduously 
and successful!}'', and got a good start. In the Fall he obtained 
about sixty dollars worth of seeds from New York, ready for 
his Spring planting. He was astounded, one day in February, 
to be arrested and thrown into prison, upon representation of 
the fellow whose /arm he occupied, that he (Gardiner) w&d a 



OP THE WAR. 173 

" dangerous" man. Gardiner procured bail from some of liia 
countrymen, but these men were compelled to withdraw their 
bond, under threats of a similar course towards themselves for 
being " dangerous" citizens. The matter was " compromised, 
out of consideration for his (Gardiner's) wife and children," by 
having his household goods hastily thrust on a little schooner 
• — on which Gardiner and his family, perfectly penniless, were 
sent to New York. All his property and improvements passed 
into the hands of the good Southern Eights man who had 
instigated the mob, and compelled the authorities to the deed 
of violence. 

Two Jersey men were hung in the vicinity of Charleston, 
early in February, for " suspicion of tampering with slaves." 
An English captain was served with a coat of tar and feathers 
in Savannah, in January, for having allowed a stevedore 
(black) to sit down with him at the dinner-table. Another 
Englishman, belonging in Canada, sailed on a vessel trading 
along coast At Savannah, the vessel was visited by a negro 
having fruit to sell. On leaving, the black man asked for a 
newspaper, and one was given him which happened to contain 
one of Henry Ward Beecher's sermons. The black was caught 
by his master reading the " incendiary" document Refusing 
to tell how he obtained it, he was ordered to the whipping- 
post, aiid flogged until he "confessed." The vessel was 
boarded by the authorities, and a demand made for the 
astonished Canadian. The captain, however, stood before him 
as a British subject ; and, by agreeing to ship the cidj)rit North, 
by the next day's steamer, succeeded in saving him from the 
mob that stood ready on the shore to lynch him. Ho was 
placed on the steamer, on the morrow, when two " officials" 
came forward with a writ, which they agreed not to serve if 
the poor fellow would pay them fifty dollars. This he gladly- 
paid, and was suffered to depart, " out of consideration for his 
being a British subject" Had he been a Yankee, he would 
have been hung. 

The following item appeared in the Eufaula (Ala.) Express^ 
(February 6th :) • 



174 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

" A Susrrcious Individual. — The wortliy caj^tain of ihc Home 
Guards arrested a man on last Tuesday, upon complaint madf; by one or 
two of our citizens. The charge was the use of improper l-<.nguage in 
regard to the acts and position of the Soutliern people a1 this time. 
Some of the expressions used by this traveling Yankee wero, that Bob 
Toombs is a traitor, and tliat the Secessionists are thieves a)'>d robbers, 
and that he fully endorsed everything contained in the Knox ville Whig, 
in regard to coercion, etc. After the examination, which b<'ought out 
the foregoing facts, the committee of five members of the Home Guards, 
appointed to investigate the matter, announced as their decision that as 
the individual under arrest was only guilty of using improi}er language, 
they would set him at liberty, with a request to settle his business and 
leave as soou as ijossible. An application of tar and feathers wouldn't 
be at all amiss in such cases. The man's name is M. A. Smith. lie is 
traveling agent for Scovil & Mead, of New Orleans, druggists. He will 
bear watching. Pass liim around." 

Mr. Sinitli proceeded on his way. At Abbeville, (Ala.,) lie 
was again "apprehended." The Vigilance Committee relieved 
him of his horse and buggy, $356 in money, and all his 
papers. Then, taking him to a grove one-half mile from town, 
he was huncf. No legal proceedings were had in his case — no 
evidence existed as to his asserted " crime," except the news- 
paper's statement. He was dealt with according to the law of 
the super-judicial Vigilance Committee. 

It has been denied that Southern men ever permitted tl;ie 
roasting alive of slaves, guilty of the high crime of murder of 
masters, or of the more heinous and diabolical namele,'=;s crime 
against females. Proof to the contrary, however, not only is 
not wanting, but is quite abundant, which goes to show that 
that horrible and barbarous mode of execution has bc^n re- 
sorted to for lesser crimes than those indicated — even upon 
suspicion. A case in point was freely narrated by' the Harris 
County (Geo.) Enterprise^ in February. On the 14th of that 
month a lady named Middlebrook, being alone in her house, 
was alarmed, eai-ly in the morning, by the entrance of some 
person. " She hailed the intruder," the paper stated, who, to 
silence her cries, took her from her bed, and, carrying her 
across the yard, " threw her over tlie fence." This was all 
No violence upon her person, no maiming — only "the fiend" 



OF THE WAR. 175 

abused her in a " most sliamoful manner." lie was alarmed 
hj two negro women, and fled. The neigliborliood was 
aroused. The laclj stated that she believed the perpetrator of 
the outrage to have been a negro man, named George. The 
newspaper account then states : 

" Dogs having been procured, the track was iDursued to a neighboring 
house, where the boy George had a wife, and thence to the residence of 
Mr. John Middlebrook. Under these circumstances, it was thought ad- 
visable to arrest the negro, whicli was done, and after an investigation 
before a justice of the peace, he was duly committed, and placed in the 
jail in this place, as wc thought, to await his trial at the April term of 
our Superior Court. 

" On M(niday morning last a crowd of men from the country assembled 
in our village, and made known their intention to forcibly take the 
negro George from the jail, and execute him in defiance of law or oppo- 
sition. Our efficient sheriff. Major Hargett, together with most of our 
citizens, remonstrated, persuaded, begged, and entreated them to desist, 
and reflect for a moment upon the consequences which might follow 
such a course, but without avail. Major Hargett promised to guarantee 
the safe-keeiiing of the prisoner by confining him in any manner they 
might suggest, and our citizens proposed to guard the jail night and 
day, but all to no purpose. There was no apjjeasing them. They rushed 
to the jail, and, despite of all remonstrances, with axe, liammcr, and 
crow-bar, violently broke through the doors, and took the prisoner out, 
carrying him about two miles from town, where they chained him to a 
tree, and burned him to death. 

" Wc understand that the negro protested his innocence with his last 
breath, though repeatedly urged to confess." 

This horrible record could be written of no civilized country 
on the globe save of the Southern States of America. How 
that last paragraph rings out its silent imprecation upon a 
state of societ}'- which would allow such a deed to be commit- 
ted on its soil! These murderers were "citizens," and, of 
course, never were even questioned as to their crime ; it was 
only a sus^xcled negro whom they burned. This deed was 
committed about fifty miles above Eufaula. 

Atlanta (Geo.) boasted of as violent a people as Eufaula or 

Abbeville. The same spirit which roasted a suspected negro 

would have hung a white man who might have been guilty 

of offence to the sensitive people. The Intelligencer^ of Atlanta, 

23 



176 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

in February, thus paragraphed the public sentiment of that 
locahty, in regard to the editor of the Nashville (Tenn.) Demo- 
crat, who had pronounced Jefferson Davis a great humbug : 

'* If Mr. Hurley will come to Atlanta, we take the responsibility of 
saying that his tavern bill or his burial expenses shall not cost him any- 
thing. The only thing which strikes our astonishment is, that the 
people of Nashville would tolerate such a paper as the Democrat in their 
midst. General Jackson, whose bones reijosc witliin twelve miles of 
the City of Nashville, doubtless turned in the grave when such abom- 
inable doctrines were permitted to go forth from a Nashville jjaper." 

These " abominable doctrines" were, loving the Union more 
than the newly-hatched Southern Confederacy — that was all. 
How many men were hung for the same crime in that delec- 
table neighborhood, the Vigilance Committee only knew. 

The statement of Mary Crawford, made public in the winter 
of 1861, detailed, with painfnl minuteness, the sad story of her' 
husband's awful murder in Tarrant County, Texas, July 17th, 
1860. The man was talcen on suspicion of being an Abolitionist, 
and, after being shot, was hung. The wretched wife, informed 
by her two little boys (who had been with their father out to 
haul wood, when Crawford was seized) of their fears, had 
started out to learn something of her husband's fate. She had 
proceeded but a short distance when a party of men informed 
her, with indifference, that her husband was hung. The 
narrative read : 

" They took me back to the place we had been living in. My grief, 
my indignation, my misery, I have no words, no desire to describe. The 
body was not brought to me until night, and only then by the direction 
of Captain Dagget, a son-in-law and partner of Turner (for whom Craw- 
ford had done much work,) who had been a friend to ray husband, and 
was the only man of any influence who dared to befriend me. He had 
been away from home, and did not return until after the murder had 
been done. He denounced the act, and said they killed an innocent 
man." 

The local newspaper — the Fort Worth Chief — thus chronicled 
the tragedy : 

" Man Hung. — On the 17tli instant, was found the body of a man by 
the name of William H. Crawford, suspended to a pecan-tree, about 
tliree-quarters of a mile from town. A large number of persons visited 



OF THE WAR. 177 

tlic body during the day. At a meeting of the citizens the same even- 
ing, strong evidence ^vas adduced proving him to have been an Abo- 
litionist. The meeting endorsed the action of the party -vvho hung him. 
Below we give the verdict of the jury of inquest : 

" ' We, the jury, find that William H. Crawford, the deceased, came to his death 
by being hung with a grass rope tied around his neck, and suspended from a pecan 
limb, by some person or persons to the jurors unknown. That he was hung on 
the 17th day of July, 1860, between the hours of 9 o'clock a.m. and 1 o'clock p. M. 
We could see no other marks of violence on the person of the deceased.' " 

This man Turner — a lawyer, and an owner of forty slaves — • 
was one of those persons who arraigned Crawford in the pre- 
sence of his little boys, and had borne him away from their 
sight to hang him. The jury took no steps, of cottrse, to learn 
anything in regard to the murderers. Indeed, the act was not 
only justified, but, out of it, grew an organization which suc- 
ceeded in whipping, banishing, and hanging over two hundred 
persons — three Methodist ministers included — in the course of 
the succeeding three months, under plea of their being "Abo- 
lition emissaries," who had instigated the burning of property, 
and incited negroes to run away. The report of that meeting 
deserves repetition, in illustration of the manner in which the 
slave districts care for their morals and their safety : 

" At a large and respectable meeting of the citizens of Tarrant 
County, convened at the Town Hall, at Fort Worth, on the 18th day 
of July, 1860, pursuant to previous notice, for the purpose of devising 
means for defending the lives and j^roperty of citizens of the county 
against the machinations of Abolition incendiaries, J. P. Alford was 
called to the chair, and J. C. Terrell was apiDointed Secretary. After 
the object of the meeting was explained by Colonel C. A. Harper, the 
following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted : 

" ' Whereas, The recent attempts made to destroy several neighboring towns by 
fire, the nearly total destruction of one of them, coupled with the conversation 
and acts of one W. H. Crawford, who was hung in this county on the 17th instant, 
prove conclusively to us the necessity of an organized effort to ferret out and 
punish Abolition incendiaries, some of whom are believed to be in our county. 
Therefore, to discover and punish said Abolitionists, and to secure the lives and 
property of our citizens, be it 

" ' Resolved, That we endorse the action of those who hung W. H. Crawford in 
this county on the 17th instant, convinced as we are, from the evidence upon which 
he was hung, that he richly deserved his fate. 

"'Resolved, That a Central County Committee be appointed by the President, 
consisting of seven citizens, whose duty it shall be to appoiat such Committees ia 



173 INCIDENTS AND ANECD0TK3 

every precinct in the coanty, wliicli sub-Committees sliall confer with and report 
to the Central Committee the names of all suspected persons in their precincta, 
which persons shall be dealt with according to the pleasure of the Central 
Committee. 

" 'Resolved, That the members of this meeting hereby pledge themselves to sup- 
port said Central Committee ia the discharge of their duty in dealing with Aboli- 
tionists and incendiaries. 

" ' JAMES P. ALFORD, Chairman. 

" ' J. C. TERRELL, Secretary.' 

" Tlic Central Committee hereby notify all persons connected with or 
holding Abolition sentiments to leave tire coimty forthwith, or they 
may possibly have cause to regret remaining." 

It is jDrobable tliat every one of the men persecuted were as 
innocent .of offense as Crawford. " Abolition emissaries" were 
not necessary to instruct negroes how to fire houses. The 
"AboHtionists" were, without exception, men having a calhng, 
and pursuing it peaceably; but, being Northerners, and living 
without holding slaves, were proofs conclusive of their danger- 
our character to the "highly respectable citizens" of Texas.* 

The case of Mrs. Catharine Bottsford, as published at length 
in the New York Tribime of March 22d, afforded the age with 
an evidence that even in the civilized city of Charleston, South 
Carolina, an intelligent, honorable, and unprotected lady could 
be thrown into prison and be made to suffer indignities be- 
cause some person had said she had " tampered with slaves." 

Arthur Eobinson, of New Orleans, publisher of the True 
Witness, a religious paper of the Old School Presbyterian de- 
nomination, was arrested, and thi'own into prison without the 
usual forms of law. After laying there some time, he was 
taken into the criminal court for trial. The indictment, how- 
ever, was so ignorantly drawn that he was set at liberty pend- 
ing a second arrest. His friends managed to effect his escape 
up the river. He lost everything. His "crime" was, not in 
saying or publishing anything offensive, but a " committee" 

* When Wigfall stated, on the floor of the United States Senate, 
that men Averc hanging from trees in Texas for opinion's sake, he was 
known to tell the truth, then, for a certainty. Lovcjoy,of Illinois, la 
vain tried to get the case of the Methodist ministers, (one of whom waa 
hung and others whipped,) before Congress. 



OF THE WAR. 179 

having searclied his premises, found "seditious" literature in 
his possession, and for that he was made to suffer. He would 
have been consigned to the State's Prison for having the Bos- 
ton Liberator on his exchange list, had it not been for the flaw 
in his first indictment, and his escape from another arrest. 

John Watt, a citizen of. Michigan, was working near Victs- 
burg, Mississippi, in January. While under the inflaence of 
liquor a "committee" extracted from him " dangerous senti- 
ments," and he was taken over the river into Louisiana and 
hung, and his bodj left hanging to the tree. 

The first officer of the bark Indian Queen made a statement 
in the New York journals, March 16th, to the effect that the 
vessel put into St. Marks, Florida, in January — hiinself and 
his second officer both being ill of the Chagres fever. Both 
were sent ashore to the United States Marine Hospital at that 
place, for proper care, while the vessel anchored in the harbor 
below, to await then- recovery. As soon as Florida seceded, 
(January 11th,) the Hospital was seized and the invalids turn- 
ed out The vessel lay at anchor about ten miles below tho 
town. She had, as part of her crew, seven colored seamen — • 
all able and trusty fellows. A plot was hatched to seize all 
these men and sell them into slavery — a judge of the Supreme 
(State) Court being one of the conspirators. The plot was re- 
vealed to the captain at two o'clock in the morning. He arose 
hired a steamer, ran down to his vessel, and had her towed out 
to sea, beyond the jurisdiction of Florida. The discomfited 
citizens swore dreadfully over their disappointment. 

The same officer stated that, a few days after the Ordinance 
of Secession was ]3assed, a resident of St. Marks remarked that 
the South was wrong and the North right in ''he controversy. 
Whereupon, he was seized, stripped, whipped, and started "out 
of the country." 

" Mr. H. Turner, a New Hampshire man, had for several 
years, spent the winter on the plantation of Woodworth & Son 
near Charleston, South Carolina. Before the Presidential elec- 
tion, in reply to the question of a fellow- workman, he had 
stated that, if he held the casting vote, it should be given for 



180 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Lincoln, Two weeks after the election he was visited by two 
members of a " Vigilance Committee," who asked if what had 
been reported was true. He answered that he had made that 
single remark to a fellow- workman, but to no other person. A 
warrant for his arrest, as an incendiary and Abolitionist, was 
prodiited, and he was taken to Charleston to jail. Around the 
jail a mob of " citizens" gathered, demanding that the jailor 
should give up the prisoner to them. It was only dispersed 
by the horse patrol. He was allowed neither food nor water. 
On the afternoon of the day succeeding his arrest, he was taken 
before the " Vigilance Association Tribunal," for examination. 
Confessing, again, that he had said to the workman what was 
reported, he was remanded back to jail, to be passed over to 
the Criminal Court. The "Judge" of the Tribunal treated the 
prisoner with a choice lecture, chiefly composed of oaths and 
imprecations. He was placed in a bare cell, where the night 
was spent ; and only on the morning of the second day's con- 
finement was he allowed food, consisting* of a sm.all piece of 
black bread and a pint of bad water. Yov fourteen weeks this 
man lay in that wretched dungeon. At the end of that time the 
son of his employer came to the jail, and stated that his wJiges, 
$248, still due, should be paid him, and his release procured, 
if he v/Guld leave at once. This promise was gladly given. 
He wao taken to the steamer amid the hootings and bowlings 
of a mob, which made threats of lynching. On the Avay to 
the steamer, he called -upon a watchmaker for a fine watch he 
had left for repairs before his arrest. The watchmaker bade 
him, with an oath, to leave his premises. Once on the steam- 
er, he expected his wages, as- promised ; but he received no- 
thing, and was permitted to work his passage to New York, 
where he arrived in a perfectly destitute condition. 

Captain E. W. Eider, of the bark Jidia E. Aery^ and his son 
James B. Ryder, as mate, were landing a cargo at Encero 
Mills, Camden County, Georgia, in November, 1860, when a 
negro came aboard the vessel with oars to selL None being 
wanted, he was sent away. lie paid a second visit, and some 
clothes were intrusted to him to wash, upon his telling that he 



OPTHEWAR 181 

belonged to a Dr. Nichols, living near. . That afternoon five 
men came to the vessel, and demanded the right to search for 
the negro. Tlie captain gave permission for the search, freely, 
but stated that the fellow had gone ashore, taking with him 
some clothes to wash. The five men completed the search 
which, it became evident to the captain, was but a cover for 
the " citizens" to examine his cargo, his means of resistance, 
&c., as well as to discover, if possible, some "Abolition lite- 
rature" by which to seize the entire crew and vessel as " dan- 
gerous to the peace of the community." The " Committee" 
returned on the following day, late in the evening. It had 
grown to fifteen in number, who proceeded to thoroughly ran- 
sack the vessel's hold. Every chest and bunker were over- 
hauled. Nothing " dangerous" being found, the " Committee" 
passed on shore where, summoning the negroes who had been 
engaged in unloading the vessel, they examined them as to 
the conversations on the vessel. Six of them were finally most 
unmercifully whipped, to make them " confess." What they 
confessed, was not known to the captain ; but, as they prob- 
ably stated anything required, the mob, it soon became evi-' 
dent, was ready for proceedings. The captain and his son 
went before the " Committee" and stated that, not only had 
no conversation been had, but that they had positively forbid- 
den any unnecessary communication between his men and the 
negToes — that one or the other of the officers always was pre- 
sent, to see that orders were obeyed. This did not satisfy the 
" Committee," and the two were taken to the jail at Jefferson, 
fifteen miles away. There they were again arraigned before 
another " Vigilance Association," and charged with being 
Abolitionists — a charge which both men denied as unfounded 
in proof No proof being produced, they were allowed to 
spend that night at a hotel. A cook (black) from another 
vessel was produced on the succeeding morning, who stated 
that he had heard both white men say they were Eepublicans, 
and would have voted for Mr. Lincoln if an opportunity had 
offered. The black fellow who had taken the clothes to wash, 
was then brought forward, and he corroborated the statement 



182' IN-CIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of the otlier black man. This was deemed evidence conclu- 
sive to the " Committee," and the sentence of a public flogging 
was immediatelj decreed against both father and son. This 
was deemed a lenient punishment — hanging was the usual 
mode of treating " such scoundrels." The inhuman wretches 
took their prisoners to the front of the court-house, where, both 
being stripped to the waist and tied to a tree, thej were whip- 
ped — twenty-five blows with heavy leather thongs being 
administered to each. The elder Ryder, being an old man, 
was a terrible sufferer under the horrible infliction. After 
"punishment" both were thrust into cells in the jail. The 
large crowd which witnessed the whipping enjoyed it, appa- 
rently with a real zest, as it jeered and laughed vociferously 
during the brutal punishment. The two men lay fourteen days 
in that jail, suffering exquisite tortures from their wounds. 
At the end of that time five men came, took them out, carried 
them to their vessel, and remained until the craft stood out 
to sea. 

This instance of atrocious wrong w\is simply one of several 
similar cases inflicted in the same neighborhood. The civil- 
ised world may be excused for doubting evidence so inhuman ; 
but, there is no room for disbelief when an old man's scarred 
back is exhibited to the pitying eye. 

We may close this revolting record with the following state 
ment made by the Cincinnati Gazette, of May 18th, 1861 : 

" Nearly every day some fresh arrivals of refugees from the violcuce aixi 
ferocity of the New Dahomey bring to this city fresh and corroborative 
proofs of the condition of aft'airs in the rebel States. Many of these have 
come thence at the peril of their lives, and to avoid threatened death,have 
taken a hurried journey surrounded by thick dangers from the madmen 
who now fill the South with deeds of violence and bloodshed. 

"The people in that section seem to have been given up to a madness 
that is without parallel in the history of civilization — we had almost 
•written barbarism. They are cut off from the news of the North, pur- 
posely blinded by their leaders as to the movements and real power of the 
Government, and in their local presses receive and swallow the most out- 
rageous falsehoods and misstatements. 

" Yesterday, one William Silliman, a person of intslligence and reli- 
ability, reached this city, returning from a year's residence in Southern 



OF THE WAR. 183 

Mississippi. He was one of a pnrty wlio, in 1860 went from this city and 
engaged in the construction of tlie Mobile and Ohio Railroad. 

" Mr. Silliman, for several months past, has lived in Tupelo Itawamba 
County, one of the upper tier of counties, two hundred miles from Ne\7 
Orleans, and one hundied and sixty miles from Mobile. He says a more 
blood-thirsty community it would be difficult to conceive. Perfect terror- 
ism prevails, and the wildest outrages are enacted openly by the rebels, 
who visit with violence all suspected of loyalty, or withholding full ad- 
herence to the kingdom of Jeiferson Davis. Could the full history of theso 
outrages be written, and that truthfully, many and most of its features 
would be deemed incredible and monstrous, belonging to another age, and 
certainly to another country than our own. 

" The party who is suspected of hostility, or even light sympathy, with 
the rebellion, is at once seized. He is fortunate if he is allowed to leave 
in a given time, without flogging. Ho is still fortunate if only a 'flog- 
ging is added to the order to depart. Many have been hung or shot on 
the spot. Mr. Silliman details five instances of the latter as having oc- 
curred among the amiable people of Itawamba County, within the past 
ten Aveeks, of several of which he was the eye-witness, a mob wrcakino 
their vcngcnce upon their victims under the approval of local authorities. 
These five men were Northerners, at differtnt times assailed by the rebels. 
Three of them were strangers to all al^out them. 

"On Saturday of last week a man was hung at Guntown, who refused 
to join the rebel army, and also refused to leave. He was taken to a tree 
in the outskirts of the village, and left hanging to a limb. He had a 
family in the place. Guntown is ten miles from Tupelo. The same day, 
at Saltillo, a man was hung under similar circumstances, and still anoth- 
er at Verona, where a traveller was seized in passing through the place. 
All these towns are within twenty miles circuit of Tupelo, where Mr. Silli- 
man resided. He says that he can recall twelve instances of killino- 
whipping, and other outrages thus visited upon the victims of the rebels 
in that vicinity, within the past two months. Many have been waiting 
in the hope that the storm would ' blow over,' Init have, one after the 
other, been foiced to submit or seek safety in flight/' 

The instances herein given are such as seemed to us to "bo 
BO verified as to admit of no doubt as to tlieir entire truthful- 
ness. Many others made public, and som^e of a most outra- 
geous character, which have been repeated to us by refugees 
in person, we have refrained from referring to, since a sus- 
picious public might question the authenticity of their unsup- 
ported statements. 

24. 



XVIII. 



PERSECUTION OF UNIONISTS IN TENNESSEE. PAllSON 4 
BROWNLOW'S STORY. 

The story of suffering in Tennessee forms one of tlie most 
painful, as it is one of the most revolting features of the rebel- 
lion. We can realize how men of one section united by no 
ties of relationship nor of social sympathy should fall out, and 
become rank enemies, but not how the people of a neighbor- 
liood could so far ignore old friendships, old associations, har- 
monious sympathies on social and moral questions, as to pro- 
ceed to bitter extremities of violence with their neighbors who 
differed with them on the question of secession. That they 
did resort to such extremities the stories of hundreds of per- 
secuted, exiled and ruined Unionists testify ; and the fact 
illustrates, in a vivid light, the hateful nature of the secession 
sentiment. 

We have already devoted a chapter to the " Spirit of Vio- 
lence" in the Southern States, giving such instances of that 
spirit as will aflbrd the reader much •' food for thought." But, 
all therein stated is nothing as compared to the sufi'erings, the 
"wi'ongs, the wretchedness, inflicted upon the men and women 
of Tennessee. It is a particularly unpleasant task to repeat 
the story of these outrages because it is so humiliating to our 
boasted American civilization ; but, it should be repeated, over 
and over again, to teach American youths the inestimablft 
value of law and order, and the repulsive nature of all revo- 
lutionary assaults lipon the constituted authority. Tliere is, 
too, a propriety in the recollection of those sufferings for opia- 



OF THE WAE. 185 

ion's sake, because tliej illustrate that trait of a truly noble 
human nature — power to resist wrong even unto death. The 
devotion of the few brave men who courted dungeons, confis- 
cation of property, the lash and the gallows for tbeir fliith ia 
the Union, ever will stand as examples w^orthy of the emula- 
tion and admiration of every lover of their country. 

Parson Browulow, after the election, (June 8th, 1861,) be- 
came the recipient of indignities from the Secessionists. His 
house, up to midsummer of that year, floated the American 
flag, though many an attempt was made to drag it down. 
Early in June a Louisiana regiment, en route for Virginia, tar- 
ried at Knoxville, awaiting transportation over the railway, 
then crowded beyond its capacity. Of this and other regi- 
ments which laid over at the same place, the Parson said : 
*' During May and June a stream of whisky-drinking, seces- 
sion fire, hot as hell, commenced to pour through Knpxville, 
in the direction of Manassas. These mean scoundrels visited 
the houses of Union men, shouted at them, groaned and hiss- 
ed. My humble dwelling had the honor to be thus greeted 
oftener than any other five houses in Knoxville. The South- 
ern papers said they were the flower of their youth. I said 
to my wife, if this is the fiov>'-er, God save us from the rabble." 

Upon one of these occasions nine members of the Louisiana 
regiment determined to see the flag humbled. Two men were 
chosen as a committee to proceed to the Parson's house to 
order the Union ensign down. Mrs. More (the Parson's daugh- 
ter) answered the summons. In answer to her inquiry as to 
what wag' their errand, one sa-id, rudely : 

" We have come to take down that d — d rag you flaunt 
from your roof— the Stripes and Stars." 

Mrs. More stepped back a pace or two within the door, 
drew a revolver from her dress pocket, and leveling it, 
answered : 

*' Come on, sirs, and take it down !" 

The chivalrous Confederates were startled. 

" Yes, come on !" she said, as she advanced toward them. 

They cleared the piazza, and stood at bay on the walk. 



186 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES - 

" We'll go and get more men, and then d — d if it don't 
come down !" 

" Yes, go and get more men — you are not men !" said the 
heroic woman, contemptuously, as the two backed from the 
place and disappeared. / 

Speaking of those days in June and July, the Parson said •: 

" Theu it was that, wanting in transportation, wanting in rolling 
stock, wanting in locomotives, tliey had to lie over by regiments in our 
town, and then they commenced to ride Union men upon rails. I have 
seen that done in the streets, and have seen them break into the stores 
and empty their contents; and coming before my own house with ro^Des 
iu their hands, they would groan out, 'Let us give old Brownlow a 

turn, the d d old scoundrel ; come out, and we ^vill hang you to 

the first limb.' These threats toward me were repeated every <lay and 
every week, until finally they crushed my paper, destroyed my office, 
appropriated the building to a smith's shop to repair the locks and bar- 
rels of old muskets that Floyd had stolen from the Federal Government. 
They finally enacted a law in the Legislature of Tennessee authorizing 
an armed force to take all the arms, pistols, guns, dirks, swords and 
everything of the sort from all the Union men, and they paid a visit to 
every Union house in the State. They visited mine three times in suc- 
cession, upon that business, and they got there a couple of guns and 
one pistol. Being an editor and preacher, I was not largely supplied. 
I had, however, a small supply concealed under my clothes ! Finally, 
after depriving us of all our arms throughout the State, and after taking 
all the fine horses of the Union men everywhere, Avithout fee or reward, 
for cavalry horses, and seizing upon the fat liogs, corn, fodder, and 
sheep, going into houses aud pijUing the beds off the bedsteads in day- 
time, seizing uix)n all the blankets they could find for the army ; after 
breaking open chests, bureaus, drawers, and everything of that sort — iu 
which they were countenanced and tolerated by the authorities, civi» 
and military — our peoj)le rose up in rebellion, unarmed as they were, 
and by accident." 

After that uprising, which did not occur until ISTovember 
8d — when the Unionists secretly burned the bridges of the 
railways loading from the South and from Virginia into East- 
ern Tennessee — the Unionists were not suffered to escape with 
" civil indignities ;" but were seized, shot, imprisoned, huno' 
by scores ; were driven to the mountains wdiere they suffered 
from all the rigors of the winter ; were rendered exiles and - 



OF THE WAK. 187 

hunted men, whom to slioot was a duty. Of that period of 
suffering the Parson chiefly spoke in his various addresses to 
the people of the North. His story seemed incredible — it was 
so horrible in some of its details ; yet, its authenticity none 
dared dispute. Persons, names, dates, places, circumstances, 
all were given, that not a shadow of doubt might remain. 
We shall reproduce so much of his narrative as will serve to 
give the reader a correct apprehension of the State of affairs 
in Tennessee during the fall and winter of 1861-62 : 

THE SOUTH GUILTY OF THE "WAR. 

" The demagogues," he said, " and the leaders of the South, 
are to blame for having brought about this state of things, ?nd 
not the people of the North. We have intended down South, 
for thirty years, to break up this Government. It has been 
our settled purpose and our sole aim down South to destroy 
the Union and break up the Government. Wg have had the 
Presidency in the South twice to your once,' and five of our 
men were re-elected to the Presidency, filling a period of forty 
3^ears. In addition to that, we had divers men elected for one 
term, and no man at the North ever was permitted to serve any 
but the one term ; and, in addition to having elected our men 
twice to your once, and occupied the chair twice as long as 
you ever did, we seized upon and appropriated two or three 
miscreants from the North that we elected to the Presidency, 
and ploughed with them as our heifers. We asked of 3^ou, 
and obtained at your hands, a Fugitive Slave law. You voted 
for and helped us to enact and to establish it. We asked of 
you and obtained the repeal of the Missouri Compromise line, 
which never ought to have been repealed. I fought it to the 
bitter end, and denounced it and all concerned in repealing it, 
and I repeat it here again to-night. We asked and obtained 
the admission of Texas into the Union, that we might have 
slave territory enough to form souie four or five moi'e great 
States, and you granted it. You have granted us from first 
to last all we have asked, all we have desired ; and hence I 



188. INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

repeat, that this thing of secession, this wicked attempt to dis- 
solve the Union, has been brought about loithout the shadow 
of a cause. It is the work of the worst men that ever God per- 
mitted to live on the face of this earth. It is the work of a 
set of men down South who, in winding up this revolution, if 
our Administration and Government shall fail to hang them 
as high as Hamau — hang every one of them — we will make 
an utter failure." 

INPRISON. •<• 

After detailing his course through the summer, and relating 
the incidents of the burning of bridges in November, he told 
of his seizure upon suspicion of having been instrumental in 
the incendiarism, saying : 

" They wanted a pretext to seize me ; and upon the 6th day 
of December they marched me off to jail — a miserable, un- 
comfortable, damp, desperate jail — where I found, when ush- 
ered into it, about one hundred and fifty Union men. There 
was not, in the whole jail, a chair, bench, stool or table, or any 
piece of furniture, except a dirty old wooden bucket and a 
pair of tin dippers to drink with, I found some of the first 
and best men of the whole country there. I knew them all, 
and they knew me, as I had been among them for thirty years. 
They rallied round me, some smiling and glad to see me, as I 
could give them the news that had been kept from them. 
Others took me by the hand, and were utterly speechless, and, 
with bitter, burning tears running down their cheeks, they said 
that they never thought that they would come to that at last, 
looking through the bars cf a grate. Speaking first to one 
and then to another, I bade them be of good cheer and take 
courage. Addressing them, I said, ' Is it for stealing you are 
here ? No. Is it for counterfeiting ? No. Is it for man- 
slaughter ? No. You are here, boys, because you adhere to 
the flag and the Constitution of our country. I am here with 
you for no other ofiense but that; and, as God is my judge, 
boys, I look upon this 6th day of December as the proudest 



OF THE WAR. 189 

day of my life. And here I intend to stay until I die of old 
age or until they hang me. I will never renounce my 
principles.' " 

THEHANGMENATWORK. 

He was soon made to realize that death, as well as imprison- 
ment, was the Unionist's lot. He said: "In the jail-yard, 
which was in full view from our window, we almost daily 
beheld a tragedy. There would drive up a horse and cart, 
with an ugly, rough, flat-topped coffin upon it, surrounded by 
fifteen to forty men, who, with bristling bayonets, as a guard, 
would march in through the gate into the jail-yard, with 
steady, mihtary tread. We trembled in our boots, for tliey 
never notified us who was to be hanged. They came some- 
times witli two coffins, one on each cart, and they took two 
men at a time and marched them out. A poor old man of 
sixty-five and his son of twenty-five, were marched, out at one 
time and hanged on tha same gallows. They made that poor 
old man, who was a Methodist class-leader, sit by and see his 
son hang until he was dead, and then they called him a d — d 
Lincolnite Union shrieker, and said, 'Come on, it is your turn 
next* He sunk, but they propped him up and led him to the 
halter, and swung both off on the same gallows. They came, 
after that, for another man, and took J. C. Haum out of jail — 
a young man of fine sense, good address, and of excellent 
character — a tall spare-made man, leaving a wife at home with 
four or five helpless children. They were kind enough to 
notify him an hour before .the hanp-ing that he Avas to bans:. 
Haum at once made an application for a Methodist preacher, 
a Union man, to come and pray for him. They denied him 
the privilege ; but, they had near the gallows an unprincipled 
drunken chaplain of their own army, who got up aud under- 
took to apologize for Haum. He said : ' This poor, unfoi'tunate 
man, who is about to pay the debt of nature, regrets the course 
he took ; he said he was misled by the Union paper.' Haum 
rose up, and with a clear, stentorian voice, said; 'Fellow- 



190 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

citizens : tlicre is not a word "of trutli in that statement. I 
have authorized nobody to make such a. statement. What I 
have said and done, I have done and said with my eyes open; 
and, if it were to be done ovei', I would do it again. I am 
ready to liaiig, and you can execute your purpose.' He died 
like a man ; he died hke a Union man ; like an East Tennes- 
scan ought to die ! As God is my judge," added the Parson, 
solemnly and earnesth^, "I would sooner be Baum in the 
grave to-day, than any one of the scoundrels engaged in his 
murder." 



THE TWO LOYAL CLERGYMEN. 

The case of two venerable Baptist Clergymen, Mr. Pope and 
Mr. Gate, was a painful one, from their age and circumstances 
— both of which should have shielded them from the barbarous 
treatment they received. Brownlow, referring to this case, 
said : " Mr. Gate was A^ery low indeed, prostrated from the 
fever, and unable to eat the miserable food sent there by the 
corrupt jailor and deputy marshal — a man whom I had de- 
nounced in my paper as guilty of forgery time and time again 
• — a suitable representative of the thieves and scoundrels that 
head this rebellion in the South. The only favor extended to 
me was to allow my family to send me three meals a day by 
my son, who brought the provisions in a basket. I requested 
my wife to send also enough for the two old clergymen. One 
of them was put in jail for offering prayers for the President 
of the United States, and the other was confined for throwing 
up his hat and cheering the Stars and Stripes as they passed 
his house, borne by a company of Union volunteers. When 
the basket of provisions came in in the morning, they ex- 
amined it at the door, would look between the pie and the 
bread to see if aiiy billet or paper was concealed there, com- 
municating treason from any outside Unionist to the ' old 
scoundrel' they had in jail; and when the basket went out 
a^ain, the same ceremony was repeated, to discover whether I 
had slipped any paper in, in any way." 



OF THE WAR. I9l 

A HARROWING INCIDENT. 

"Tlie old man, Gate," said Brownlow, "had tliree sons in 
that jail. One of them, James Madison Gate, a most exem- 
plary and worthy member of the Baptist chureh, was there for 
having eommitted no other crime than that of refusing to 
volunteer. He lay stretched at length upon the floor, with 
one thickness of a piece of carpet under him, and an old over- 
coat doubled up for a pillow, in the agonies of death. His 
wife came to visit him, bringing her youngest child, which 
was but a babe. They were refused admittance. I put my 
head out of the jail window, and entreated them, for God's 
sake, to let the poor woman come in, as her husband was 
dying. The jailer at last consented that she might see him for 
the limited time of fifteen minutes. As she came in, and 
Rooked upon her husband's wan and emaciated face, and saw 
"how rapidl}' he was sinking, she gave evident signs of fliint- 
ing, and would have fallen to the floor with the babe in her 
arms, had I not rushed up to her and seized the babe. Then 
she sunk down upon the breast of her dying husband, unable 
to speak. I sat by and held the babe until the fifteen minutes 
had expired, when the oflicer came in, and, in an insulting and 
peremptory manner, notified her that the interview was to 
close. I hope I may never sec such a scene again ; and yet, 
such cases were common all over East Tennessee.''^ 



ACASEOFCLEMENCY. 

Among others condemned to death by the drumhead court- 
martial which disposed of the Union prisoners, was that of a 
man named Hessing Self, who was informed of his fate a few 
hours before the time fixed for his execution. Brownlow thus 
related the incidents which followed : " His daughter, who had 
come down to administer to his comfort and consolation — a 
most estimable girl, about twenty-one years of age — Elizabeth 
Self, a tall, spare-made girl, modest, handsomely attired, 
begged leave to enter the jail to see her father. They permit* 
25 



192 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ted her, contrary to their asual custom and savage haibarity, 
to go in. Tliej had him in a small iron cage, a terrible affair; 
they opened a little door, and the jailor admitted her. A 
parcel of us went to witness the scene. As she entered the 
cage where her father was, she clasped him around the neck, 
and he embraced her also, throwing his arms across her 
shoulders. They sobbed and cried ; shed their tears and made 
their moans. I stood by, and I never beheld such a sight, and 
I hope I may never see the like again. When they had 
parted, wringing each other by the hand, as she came out of 
the cage, stammering and trying to utter sometliing intelli- 
gible, she lisped my name. She knew my face, and I could 
understand as much as that she desired me to write a dispatch 
to Jefferson Davis, and sign her name, begging him to pardon 
her father. I worded it about thus : 

" ' Hon. Jefferson Davis — My father, Hessing Self, is 
sentenced to be hanged at four o'clock to-day. I am living at 
home, and my mother is dead. My father is my earthly all ; 
upon him my hopes are centered ; and, friend, I pray you to 
pardon him. Eespectfully, ' Elizabeth Self.' 

" Jefferson, Davis, who had a better heart than the rest of 
his coadjutors, immediately responded by commuting his sen- 
tence to imprisonment." 



\ SICKNESS AND SUFFERING. 

i- ■ . .'. . 

'• ''- Many other incidents were mentioned of that Life in Prison, 
which all served to prove the malignant and thoroughly heart- 
less character of the Confederate authorities. Of the winter, 
as it passed to the living inmates, he said : " They tightened 
up on those of us who held out. Many of our company be- 
came sick. "We had to lie upon that miserable, cold, naked 
floor, with not room enough for us all to lie down at the same 
time — and you may think what it must have been in December 
and January — " spelling" each other, one lying down awhile 
on the floor and then another taking his place so made warm. 
That was the way we managed, until many became sick unto 



OP THE WAR. 193 

deatli. A number of the prisoners died of pneumonia and 
typhoid fever, and other diseases contracted bj exposure 
there." 



I " A MOST REVOLTING AFFAIR. 

i 

• A large jail in Greenfield — the place where Andrew Johnson 
resided — was, also, filled with Unionists, who were treated 
with even greater atrocity than those in the Knoxville prison. 
Brownlow mentioned the case of two men, named Fry and 
Nashy. Fry had a wife and six children. " A fellow from 
Um'oh,^^ the Parson stated, " named Leadbeater, the bloodiest 
and the most ultra man, the vilest wretch, the most unmiti- 
gated scoundrel that ever made a track in East Tennessee — 
Colonel Daniel Leadbeater, late of the United States Army, 
but now an officer in the Secession Army — took these two 
men, tied them with his own hands upon one limb, immedi- 
ately over the railroad track in the town of Greenville and 
ordered them to hang foitr days and nights^ and also ordered 
all the engineers and conductoi's to go by that spot slowly, in 
order to give passengers an opportunity to hich the rigid bodies 
and strike them with switches. And they did it ! I pledge 
you my honor that, from the front platforms they made a busi- 
ness of kicking the dead bodies as they jjassed hj ; and the women 
(I will not say the ladies, for down South we make a distinc- 
tion between ladies and women)^ — the women, the wives and 
daughters of men iniiigh position, waved their white handker- 
chiefs in triumph, through the windows of the car, at the sight 
of the two dead bodies hanging there !" 

A statement of this character will "fexcite, in the reader's 
mind, feelings of disgust and horror, No wonder every 
escaped Unionist had but one wish in his heart — to wreak a 
bloody revenge on those merciless miscreants, who seemed to 
have taken to toriure by instinct. Men who are familiar with, 
and practice torture upon, slaves, only have to change the 
objects of their malice, to become persecutors of their own 
fellow-citizens. Strange that the Parson saw and experienced 



104 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

those simple results of a Slave education, and 3'et failed to 
ascribe the true cause to the unheard-of atrocity nictcd out to 
the Unionists! 



BARIiAKFTIES GENERALLY m ACT ICED, 

" Seven miles out of Knoxville," said Brownlow, " they 
caught up Union men, tied them upon logs, upon blocks six 
or ten inches from the ground, put men upon their breasts, 
tying their hands and feet under the log, stripjied their backs 
entirely bare, and then, with switches, cut their backs litei-ally 
to pieces, the blood running down at every stroke. They came 
into court when it was in session, and when the case was 
stated, the judge replied: 'These are revolutionary times, and 
there is no remedy for anj-thing of the kind.' lie added, 
further : 

" This is the spirit of secession all over the South ; it is the 
spirit which actuates the instruments of the Confederacy every- 
where. It is the spirit of murder — the very' spirit of hell 
itself. Can .you," he cried in an impassioned voice — " can you, 
any of you, excuse or apologize for such demons ? Oh, look 
upon the picture before you ! Hanging is even noiu going on 
all over East Tennessee. They shoot them down in tlie fields, 
in the streets, arresting hundreds, and shooting fift}^ or sixty 
in one instance, after they had surrendered and Avere under 
arrest. They marched between three and four hundred 
through the streets, some of them barefooted, and their feet 
bleeding, taking them to the depot and shipping them to At- 
lanta, Georgia, to work upon their fortifications. These men, 
denied wafer, would lift out of the mud-puddles in the street 
with their hands, after a rain, what they could to q\iench their 
thirst. They whip them, and, as strange as it may seem to 
you^ in the counties of Campbell and Anderson tliey actually 
lacerate tvilh switches the bodies 0/ females, icives and daurjhters 
of Union men — clever, respectable icor)ien. They show no quar- 
ter to male or female ; they rob their houses, and they throw 
them into prison. Our jails are full ; we have complained 



OF THE WAR. I95 

and tliouglit liard that our Government has not come to our 
relief, for a more loyal, a more devoted people to the Stars 
and Stripes never lived than the Union people of -Tennessee. 
With tears in their eyes tliey begged me, upon leaving East 
Tennessee, to see the President, to see the army officers, to 
have relief sent immediately to them, and bring them out 
of jail." 

After presenting this picture of wretchedness and wo, no 
wonder the speaker exclaimed : 

" In God's name I call upon President Lincoln, and upon his Cabiiet 
and army officers, to say liow long tliey will suffer a loyal jieoplc, truo 
to the Union and to tlie Government of their fathers, to suffer in this 
way ! The Union men of East Tennessee are largely in the majority — 
say three to one — but they have no arms ; they are in the jails of the 
country ; they are working on rebel fortifications like slaves under the 
lash, and no Federal force has ever yet been marched into that oppress- 
ed and down-trodden country. Let the Government, if it has any re- 
gard for obligations, redeem that country at once, ixnd liberate these 
people, no matter at what cost of blood or treasure." 

DEBASED CHAEACTER OF SOUTHERN MINISTERS. 

Brownlow delivered in New York (May 19th) an address 
on the irreligious character of the rebellion. lie then made 
public facts and incidents which proved how thoroughly the 
ministry of the South was demoralized by the spirit of seces- 
sion. Some of his statements we may repeat 

Eev. Dr. Martin, a New School Presbyterian minister of 
Knoxville, was educated and graduated at the Union Theo- 
logical Seminary of New York city. How he was abased by 
acquiescence in the revolution, the Parson stated : 

" Mr. Maynard, our representative in Congress, is an elder 
in the New School Presbyterian Church, a scholar, and a gen- 
tleman. He had no sooner left in disguise to make his way 
through to take his seat in Congress, than the Eev. Joseph F 
Martin made a set speech, going through the formalities of 
taking a text — preached an outrageous sermon, and prayed 
an outrageous prayer, ' that his wicked and unhallowed tracks 
might never again be seen or known in Knoxville.' 



196 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The mortified wife of Mr. Maynard, (who is from the neigli- 
borhood of New York city,) who is a lady, and so regarded, 
in every sense of the word, an intelligent, charitable. Christian 
lady, shedding tears on that occasion, rose up, left the house 
and journej^ed home ; and, although she was driven out but a 
few weeks ago, with my wife and children, she had, to her 
honor and credit, never disgraced her name by visiting his vile 
sanctuary any more. Feeling that he had behaved in a con- 
temptible manner, he made her a visit and apologized, saying, 
' I didn't want to do it, but my elders made me do it, and I 
had to do it, or lose my salary and my place.' What do you 
think of a ' laborer in the vineyard' like that ?" 

Of the pastor of another Knoxville church, he related : 
" The pastor of the Old School Churcii in Knoxville, a man 
of education and fair talent, and until secession broke out, I 
thought him a gentleman and a Christian. A short time be- 
fore I left, he had a special occasion to preach upon the sub- 
ject of secession, and attracted a large crowd. He made the 
bold and open declaration that Jesus Christ was a Southerner, 
born on Southern soil. He did it in good faith ; he did it in 
sincerity, however, not in truth. He said, ' Jesus Christ was 
a Southerner, born on Southern soil, and so were his disciples 
and apostles, all except Judas, and he was a Northern man.' 
Holding up a Bible, he said — I presume he was sober, biit I 
would not guarantee it — ' I would sooner, my brethren, an- 
nounce to you a text for discussion from the pulpit out of a 
Bible or a Testament that I knew had been printed in hell, 
than out of a Bible or a Testament that was printed North of 
Mason and Dixon's line.' That was a part of his Gospel ser< 
mon on the Lord's day." 

The Methodist ministry (Brownlow belonged to that per- 
suasion) he characterized thus : 

" The Methodist iDreachers in the South were entitled to more con- 
sideration, for there was more unanimity among them. They were 
nearly all, without any exception, rascals." 

He thus specified one case : " Fountain E. Fitch was an old 
presiding elder of the Conference, a man who had been in 



OFTHEWAR. 197 

every General Conference for tliirty years. He went to Eu- 
rope with Bishop Soule, and had one or two sons in the rebel 
army. He was a chaplain of a Nashville regiment, and made 
it a practice to get drunk, carrying a bottle with him ; he 
drank to excess and swore profanely, but preached every Sun- 
day faithfully to the soldiers. In his discourses he told them 
that the cause in which they were engaged — and I only give 
him as a specimen of all denominations — fighting for the inde- 
pendence of the South, fighting to keep back the abolition 
hordes of the North, and to repulse the hordes of Lincoln, was 
so good and so holy a cause, that if they died in this cause 
they would be saved in heaven, even without grace." 

But there was one loyal man " of the cloth" — that of the 
Episcopal minister in Knoxville, whose case the Parson thus 
referred to : 

" Rev. Thomas W. Hugh was a slaveholder, and a man of property. 
His Bishoj), some months ago, furnished him with a new prayer, which 
did not require him to pray for the President of the United States, but 
substituted Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Government. Mr. 
Hugh, promptly but frankly, and like a man, said : ' I cannot abandon, 
my Prayer-Book and regular form. I do not believe in the Confed- 
eracy ; I do not believe in Jefferson Davis.' They turned him out and 
procured another jjliant tool and cat's-paw, who was willing to pray for 
anybody for his victuals, his wine, and his parsonage." 

' GENERAL ZOLLICOFFER. 

\ 

For Zollicoffer, Brownlow entertained a sincere respect. 
Both were Whigs — had campaigned it politically together and 
were, personally, friends. The rebel General did not forget 
old relation in his new ones — which latter we have good rea- 
son to suspect were alike painful and distasteful to him. 
Brownlow said : 

"After my types and printing-press had been destroyed, 
and nay office turned into a blacksmith-shop, to repair and put 
percussion locks on the old muskets Floyd stole, word was 
given to General Zollicoffer that a regiment of Texans, who 
were encamped a few miles out of town, had fixed up their 



198 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

plans to pull Brownlow's house down that night. Zollicoffer 
immediately gave an order that no soldier should leave camp 
that night, and sent a company of soldiers to guard my house, 
giving the ladies information of his intention. This was 
heralded all through the Southern Confederacy as a piece of 
unheard-of clemency. But I think he did nothing more than 
his duty. And now that Zollicoffer is dead, I must do him the 
credit to say that I knew him for more than twenty-five 
years ; that I have battled with him ; that he was an honest 
man, who never wronged another out of a cent ; that he 
never told a lie ; that he was in all respects an honorable 
man, and as brave a soldier as ever died in battle, and that 
the only mean thing he ever did, was fighting for the South- 
ern Confederacy." 

ZollicofPer was killed at the battle of Wild Cat, Kentucky, 
October 21st, by Colonel Fry. His death was sincerely regret- 
ted by the Unionists of Tennessee. He had been cajoled into 
the Confederate service ; his hand, not his heart, seemed to 
have been the sinner. 

THE BRIDGE BURNING. 

The burning of bridges in East Tennessee was an act of the 
Unionists, to prevent the Confederates from throwing reen- 
forcements into that section, while Garland pushed down 
through Cumberland Gap to protect the Unionists in their 
pre-arranged uprising. The story of the burning was never 
known until the Parson revealed it on his arrival in Nashville, 
late in Febraary (1861.) The substance of his statements, at 
that time, was thus reported by the Louisville Journal: 

" It appears that Chaplin Carter and Captain Fry, of one of 
the Tennessee regiments, in the latter part of October, made 
their way in disguise and over hidden paths to the house of a 
prominent loyalist, within eight miles of Knoxville. Here 
they convened about one hundred trustworthy and devoted 
men, to whom they represented that a Federal division was 
about forcing its way into the Eastern district, and that, in 



OP THE WAR 199 

order to insure the success of tlie contemplated expedition, and 
prevent tlie reenforcement of the Confederate forces then 
guarding the Gap from either the West or East, they were 
autliorized by the Federal military authorities to prepare and 
execute a plan for the destruction of the principal bridges on 
the East Tennessee and Virginia Kailroad. 

" Most of those present at once signified their willingness to 
co-operate with them, and it was accordingly arranged that 
parties of fifteen to twenty -five, armed and provided with the 
necessary combustibles, should proceed as secretly as possible 
to the vicinity of the bridges selected for destruction. Captain 
Ery, assuming the character of a Confederate contractor, pro- 
fessedly engaged in the purchase of hogs, under the name of 
Colonel Walker, traveled from point to point, personally 
superintending the preparations. 

" So well were the plans laid, and so successfully carried 
out, that, although the most westerly of the doomed bridges 
was no less than 07ie hunched and seventy-five miles from the 
most easterly, the guards at all of them were overpowered, and 
the structures fired within the same hour of the same night, 
that is, between the hours of eleven and twelve of the night 
of the 10th of November. The bridges were readily set in 
flames by means of ropes dipped in turpentine and stretched 
from end to end. Captain Fry was himself present at the 
burning of the Lick Creek bridge. 

i " The guards at that point were not only overcome, dis- 
armed and tied, but also made to swear allegiance to the 
United States, upon a Bible brought along for the purpose. 
Captain Fry started for Southern Kentucky immediately after 
the burning, to return, as the conspirators all believed, in a 
few days, with a Federal army. His brother was afterward 
arrested, and hung by the rebels." 

It is one of the melancholy episodes of the war that Garland 
and Schoepf were stayed in their advance upon East Tennessea 
The way was open ; and the uprising of the Unionists, with 
the help of the Federal forces, certainly would have given that 
section up to the UnioiL The " circumlocution ofiice" had 
26 



200 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

anotlier way of doing the thing — of gathering a tremendoua 
force, in the course of time — to march down upon Nashville, 
then to whip the rebels out of West Tennessee ; then to ad- 
vance into East Tennessee. The poor Unionists pined in 
dungeons through the weary ten months which followed before 
their deliverance came, bj the advance of Mitchell from the 
South and of Morgan from Cumberland Gap. East Tennessee 
should have been in the Union, in November, 1861 ; and, 
doubtless would have been, if counter orders had not arrested 
a simple, straight-forward, discreet campaign. This, we believe, 
is now the opinion of those best qualified to sit in judgment 
on events in Kentucky and Tennessee. 



XIX. 



THE CAMPAIGN IN MISSOUKI. THE FIRST 
DISASTER. 

The final defection of General Price and Governor Jackson 
(June 12th) was followed by their calling out all the troops 
available to " fight the hireling Dutch," as the United States 
volunteers were then called. They gathered in strong force at 
Boonsville, whither General Lyon proceeded with all the avail- 
able force at his disposition — consisting chiefly of the First, 
Third, and Fourth Missouri regiments volunteers, with several 
companies of regulars, two batteries of artillery, and several 
companies of Home Guards. The battle of Boonsville followed, 
June 17th, in which Price's forces were routed, and his camp 
equipage, stores, etc., captured. The Federal loss was two 
killed and nine wounded. General Price was not in the fight, 
having gone home the day previous, ill. 



OF THE "WAR. 201 

The Second Missouri regiment stopped at Jefferson City, 
where Colonel Boernstein assumed command. He issued his 
proclamation (June 17th,) announcing the flight of the Gover- 
nor and other State functionaries, and proclaiming his purpose 
to co-operate with the civil and judicial authorities to preserve 
law and order. 

On the 18th, General Lyon issued his proclamation to the 
people of Missouri, in which he set forth the true condition of 
matters as between the absconding Governor, with his treason- 
able coadjutors, and the General Government. He assured 
peace and safety to all who did not bear arms against the 
Government, and requested all who had been deceived into a 
co-operation with the treason of their late Executive, to lay 
down their arms, and return to their homes. He warned those 
in arras, however, against hoping for clemency, if they per- 
sisted in hostility against their country. 

On the 18th, the Secessionists from Warsaw and vicinity 
attacked a body of Home Guards at Camp Cole, and dispersed 
them — the Guards losing twenty -three killed, twenty wounded, 
and thirty prisoners. The attacking force was comprised 
largely of Price's men, who had retired from Boousville upon. 
Lyon's approach. 

Lyon immediately proceeded to dispose his forces so as to 
command the best points of occupation in the State. Siegel 
was pushed out toward Springfield, where he arrived June 
23d. Learning that Jackson was coming down from the 
North with the remnant of his forces, through Cedar County, 
"Siegel advanced to Mount Yernon to intercept his retreat. At 
Mount Vernon he ascertained that Price was at Neosho, and 
immediately resolved to use him up before striking for Jack- 
son. With that object in view, he moved (June SOtli) on to 
Neosho ; but Price had retreated before him. 

The rebels effected a combination of their forces, under Gen- 
erals Parsons and Rains, at Dry Fork Creek, eight miles north 
of Carthage. By orders of Brigadier-General Sweeny — who 
had then arrived at Springfield and assumed command of the 
Federal foi-ces operating in South-western Missouri — Siegel, 



202 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

on the morning of July Sth, puslied out to meet tlie enemy. 
His force consisted of eiglit companies of his own (Third) reg''- 
ment, nnder command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hassendeubel, 
Missouri volunteers ; seven companies of the Fifth regiment, 
Colonel Salomon ; and eight field pieces nnder command of 
Major Backof The enemy's force comprised State troops and 
Arkansas volunteers to the number of fifty-five hundred — 
nearly one half mounted — and a battery of five guns. An 
account of the battle given by one who was present, read : 

" Our command was about one thousand two hundred 
strong, including a part of Colonel Salomon's regiment. We 
met the enemy in camp, in an open prairie, three miles be- 
yond Dry Fork. We could not discover many infantry, but 
numbers of cavalry. Approaching within eight hundred 
yards, we took our position. The aj'tillery was placed in 
firont ; we had on our left two six-pounders ; in our center, 
two six-pounders and two twelve-pounders ; and two six- 
pounders on our right. The enemy, who occupied the high- 
est ground in the prairie, had in position one six-pounder on 
the right and left, and in his center one twelve and two six- 
pounders. The fight commenced at half-past nine, when large 
bodies of infantry began to appear. The firing of the enemy 
was wretched. I have seen much artillery practice, but never 
saw such bad gunnery before. Their balls and shells went 
over us, and exploded in the ojien prairie. At eleven o'clock 
we had silenced their twelve-pounder and broken their center 
so much that disorder was apparent. After the firet five shots 
the two secession flags which they carried were not shown. 
They displayed the State flag, v^^hich we did not fire at. At 
about two o'clock the cavalry attempted to outflank us, on 
both right and left. As we had left our baggage trains three 
miles in the rear, not anticipating a serious engagement, it was 
necessary to fall back to prevent their capture. Colonel Siegel 
then ordered two six-pounders to the reai', and changed his 
front, two six poundei-s on the flanks, and the twelve and 
six-pounders in the rear, and commenced falling back in a 
steady and orderly manner, firing as we went. We proceededj 



OF THE WAR. 203 

witli liardly a ■word to be heard except the orders of the offi- 
cers, until we reached our baggage wagons, which had ap- 
proached with the two companies left in reserve. They were 
formed (fifty wagons) into a solid square, and surrounded by 
the infantry and artillery, as before. The retreat was without 
serious casualty until we approached the Dry Fork Creek, 
where the road passes between bluffs on either side. The cav- 
alry of the enemy, eight hundred strong, had concentrated on 
the opposite side of the creek, to cut us off. Colonel Siege] 
ordered two more cannon to the right and left oblique in front, 
and then by a concentrated cross-fire poured in upon them a 
brisk fire of canister and shraj^nell shell. The confusion which 
ensued was terrific. Horses, both with and without riders, 
were galloiDing and neighing about the plain, and the riders in 
a perfect panic. We took here two or three j^risoners, who, 
upon being questioned, said their force numbered about five 
thousand five hundred, and expressed their astonishment at 
the manner in which our troops behaved. 

"We proceeded, after capturing about thirty-five horses, to- 
ward Carthage. Just before entering the town, at about six 
o'clock, we brought up at Buck Creek, where three companies 
of infantry conspicuously posted themselves on the bank, 
while the rest, in two columns, made a small circuit around 
the town, which is situated near the creek. The artillery then 
poured in a well-directed fire upon the village. The horse- 
men started out in affright, and our soldiers brought them 
down with fearful efiect. This was the heaviest charge of the 
whole day. No regular volley of musketry had been ordered 
until this tim% and the Minie rifles carried their leaden mes- 
sengers through man and horse with damaging effect. The 
enemy must have lost fully two hundred men in this skirmish. 
Night was approaching as we passed through Carthpge. The 
remnant of the horsemen of the rebels were scattered in all 
directions ; their forces were coming up in our rear, and wo 
concluded to make f )r the woods on the Mount Vernon road. 
Wo could not have captured the entire force without some 



204: INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

loss ; and as we were acting without orders, thought it pni- 
dent to withdraw with our advantage. 

" We took in all fortj-five prisoners, some, of them officers ; 
those taken at the Dry Creek at five o'clock reported about 
two hundred killed, and as the heaviest fighting was done 
afterwards, I estimate their loss at near five hundred. Our 
loss up to the time I left, was eight killed and missing, and 
fortj-five wounded. As we brought off our wounded and 
dead, it is probable this may reduce the mortality list. 

" The rebels halted at Carthage, and hoisted the secession 
rag, when our artillery wheeled, and in a few minutes were in 
position, and firing. Shot and shell were whistling over their 
heads when the flag disappeared from our view. We then 
kept on our v/ay to Mount Yernon, where we were ordered to 
rendezvous, expecting to meet General Sweene}^" 

This masterly retreat covered Siegel with glory, and inspired 
the utmost confidence among the troops for their commanders. 
Almost all those engaged were Germans, while the officers 
were largely composed of Germans and Hungarians, of large 
experience on European battle-fields. 

That section of the State immediately became the seat of 
stirring movements. There the rebels gathered heavy forces 
from Missouri and Arkansas, preparatory to a strike for St. 
Louis and the Capital, Jefferson city. Lyon immediately as- 
sumed the field -command — General Fremont havins: taken 
chief command of the Department of the West, July 9th. 
Sharp engagements of detached bodies occurred at Florida, 
where a rebel camp was broken up — at Forsythe, which the 
Federal forces occupied — at Til ton, &c. ; while, on the 2d of 
August, Lyon fell upon Ben McCullough's advancing brigades, 
under command of General Rains and Colonel Mcintosh, at 
Dug Spring, nineteen miles South-west of Springfield. The 
rebels withdrew before his vigorous first assault, leaving forty 
dead and forty -four wounded upon the field. McCullough's 
design was to fall upon Springfield, and, by the very enormity 
of his numbers, to cut Lyon's command to pieces. Lyon slowly 



OF THE WAR. 205 

retreated from Dug Spring to Springfield, resolved to hold it 
at all hazards — even if his long looked for, and earnestly called 
for, reenfbrceraents from St. Louis did not arrive. If Spring- 
field was lost. McCullough and Price might march direct upon 
St. Louis. New Madrid was held by the enemy, from whence 
the recusant Governor hoj)ed, by aid of the Confederate forces, 
then centering there, to fall upon Bird Point and Cairo. Au- 
gust 5th, Jackson issued, from thence, his " Declaration of the 
Independence of Missouri" — a rather remarkable document 
considering that he had been deposed by the properly con- 
stituted Convention, July 31st, so that another Governor 
(Judge Hamilton Kv Gamble) had been chosen (August 1st) 
in Jackson's stead. The " Declaration" was the cry of revenge 
and mortification, and was put forth as a rejoinder to Gover- 
nor Gamble's Address and Proclamation to the People of Mis- 
souri, issued August 3d. 

Price moved his brigade, July 25th — then encamped on 
Cowskin Prairie, in McDonald County — toward Cassville, in 
Berry County, where it had been arranged the forces of 
McCullough, Pearce, McBride, and Price should concentrate, 
preparatory to the march on Springfield. Tlie junction with 
McCullough and Pearce's commands was effected July 28th. 
The First Division, under McCullough, left Cassville August 
1st, taking the road to Springfield, followed by tlie Second 
Division, under Price and Pearce (of Arkansas.) The Third 
Division, under General Steen, started forward August 2d. It 
was the advance guards of this combined army which were en- 
countered by Lyon's forces at Dug Spring, The Federal 
General, discovering the enormous force of the enemy — as the 
several divisions came up and concentrated on Crane Creek — • 
retired before them, and managed to give them a bloody greet- 
ing before they reached their destined goal. Accordingly, his 
forces marched out, on the night of August 9th,* from Spring- 

* Lyoa marched out on the 7th, for the night attack, but found 
morning so near at hand when he was prepared to move from Camp 
Hunter, (two miles from Springfield,) that he recalled the orders and 
returned to town, resolved to try it again, if circumstances seemed to 
warrant tlie hazardous enterprise. 



20C INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

field, to encounter tlie rebels, then in full force at Wilson's 
Creek, about ten miles south of the city. The Federal dispo- 
sition was to assail by two columns — one led by General 
Lyon in person, the other by Colonel Franz Siegel. 

Lyon's conduct, in ordering this advance, has been censured 
as rash, and, perhaps, as influenced somewhat by pique at the 
neglect shown him by the commanding General at St. Louis, 
But, it is certain that he acted from a high and noble sense pi 
duty. One who was present at the time, wrote : "A consul 
tation was held, and the question of evacuating Springfield 
seriously discussed. Looking at it in a military view, there 
was no doubt of the propriety, and even necessity of the step, 
and many of General Lyon's officers counseled such a move- 
ment Some favored a retreat in tlie direction of Kansas, 
while others regarde^ Eolla as the more desirable. General 
Sweeney, however, pointed out the disastrous results which 
must ensue upon retreating without a battle — how the enemy 
would be flushed and boastful over such an easy conquest, 
the Union element crushed or estranged from us, and declared 
himself in favor of holding on to the last moment, and of 
giving the enemy battle as soon as he should approach within 
striking distance. This kind of counsel decided General Lyon 
to remain, save his own reputation and that of the officers 
under him, and not evacuate Springfield until compelled." 

The enemy, also, had resolved upon a night advance from 
Wilson's Creek camp, upon Springfield, hoping to surround 
it, and, by day-break, to close in upon Lyon so as to prevent 
his escape to Holla. Every disposition was made for the move- 
ment — the men were under arms, with orders to march, by 
four columns, at nine o'clock p. M. Price, for some unex- 
plained reason, having passed over the chief command to 
McCullough, the latter ordered the expedition to be given up, 
late at night, as the darkness was intense and a storm threat- 
ened. Lyon was not intimidated by the darkness — it rather 
•was favorable, as it covered his passage and general disposition 
from the observation of jDickets and scouts. 

Price, in his report of the conflict, said : " About six o'clock 



OF THE "WAR. 207 

I received a messenger from General Eains, that tlie enemy 
were advancing in great force, from the direction of Spring- 
field, and were already within three hundred yards of the 
position where ho was encamped with the Second Division, 
consisting of about 1,200 men, under Colonel Crawford. A 
second messenger came immediately afterward from General 
Eains to announce that the enemy's main body was upon him, 
but that he would endeavor to hold him in check until he 
could receive reenforcements. General McCullough was with 
me when these messengers came, and left at once for his own 
head-quarters, to make the necessary disposition of our forces. 

" I rode forward instantly toward General Eains' position, 
ordering Generals Slack, McBride, Clark, and Parsons to move 
their infantry and artillery forward. I had ridden but a few 
hundred yards, when I came suddenly upon the main body of 
the enemy, commanded by General Lyon in person. The 
infantry and artillery which I had ordered to follow me, came 
up immediately, to the number of 2,036 men, and engaged the 
enemy. A severe and bloody conflict ensued ; my ofiicers 
and men behaving with the greatest bravery, and, with the 
assistance of a portion of the Confederate forces, successfully 
folding the enemy in check. 

" Meanwhile, and almost simultaneously with the opening 
of the encm3^'s batteries in this quarter, a heavy cannonading 
was opened on the rear of our position, where a large body of 
the eneni}', under Colonel Siegel, had taken position, in close 
proximity to Colonel Churchill's regiment, Colonel Greer's 
Texan Eangers, and 679 mounted Missourians, under com- 
mand of Lieutenant-Colonels Major and Brown. 

" The action now became general, and was conducted with 
the greatest gallantry and vigor on both sides, for more than 
five hours, when the enemy retreated in great confusion, leav- 
ing their Commander-in-Chief, General Lyon, dead upon the 
battle-field, over five hundred killed and a great number 
wounded. The forces under my command have also a largo 
number of prisoners." 

This bi'iefly alludes to the attack. Its circumstances were 
27 



208 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

SO full of interest that we may refer to it more at length. An 
account by an eye-witness, as well as the reports of Siegel and 
Major Sturgis, offer all necessary information. The former 
said : " At eight o'clock in the evening, General Siegel, with 
his own and Colonel Salomon's command and six pieces of 
artillery, moved southward, marching until nearly two o'clock, 
and passing around the extreme camp of the enemy, where he 
halted, thirteen miles from town, and on the south side of the 
rebels, ready to move forward and begin the attack as soon as 
lie should hear the roar of General Lyon's artillery. The main 
body of troops under General Lyon moved from the city about 
the same hour, halted a short time five miles west of the city, 
thence in a south-westerly direction four miles, where we halt- 
ed and slept till four A. M., Saturday, the day of the battle. * * 

* * * "It was now five o'clock. The enemy's pickets 
were driven in ; the northern end of the valley in which they 
were encamped was visible, with its thousand of tents and its 
camp-fires ; the sky was cloudy, but not threatening, and the 
most terribly destructive of battles, compared with the number 
engaged, was at hand. Our army moved now toward the 
south-west, to leave the creek and a spring which empties in 
it on our left. Passing over a spur of high land which lies 
at the north end of the valley, they entered a valley and be- 
gan to ascend a hill, moderately covered with trees and under- 
wood, which was not, however, dense enough to be any im- 
pediment to the artillery. * * * ^ * * 

" Meanwhile the opposite hill had been stormed and taken 
by the gallant Missouri First, and Osterhaus's battalion and 
Totten's battery of six pieces had taken position on its summit 
and north side, and was belching forth its loud-mouthed thun- 
der much to the distraction of the opposing force, who had 
already been started upon a full retreat by the thick-raining 
bullets of Colonel Blair's boys. Lieutenant DuBois's battery, 
four pieces, had also opened on the eastern slope, firing upon 
a force which was retreating toward the south-east on a road 
leading up the hill, which juts into the south-western angle of 



OF THE WAR. 209 

tbe creek, and upon a battery placed near by to cover tbeir 
etreat. -»****** 

" Having driven a regiment of tlie enemy from one bill, the 
Missouri volunteers encountered in tlie valley beyond, another 
fresb and finely-equipped regiment of Louisianians, whom, 
after a bitter fight of forty -five minutes, they drove back and 
scattered, assisted by Captain Lothrop and his regular rifle 
recruits. Totten and Dubois were, meanwhile, firing upon the 
enemy forming in the south-west angle of the valley, and upon 
their batteries on the opposite hill. 

" The undaunted First, with ranks already thinned, again 
moved forward up the second hill, just on the brow of which 
they met still another fresh regiment, which poured a terrible 
volley of musketry into their diminished numbers. Kever 
yielding an inch, they gradually crowded their opposers back- 
ward, still backward, losing many of their "own men, killed 
and wounded, but covering the ground thick with the retreat- 
ing foe. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews, already wounded, still 
kept his j)osition, urging the men onward by every argument 
in his power. Lieutenant Murphy, when they once halted, 
wavering, stepped several jDaces forward, weaving his sword in 
the air, and called successfully upon his men to follow him. 
Every Captain and Lieutenant did his duty nobly, and when 
they were recalled and replaced by the fresh Iowa and Kansas 
troops, many were the faces covered with powder and dripping 
with blood. Captain Gratz, gallantly urging his men forward 
against tremendous odds, fell mortally wounded, and died soon 
after. Lieutenant Brown, calling upon his men to ' come for- 
ward,' fell with a severe scalp wound. Captain Cole of the 
Missouri First had his lower jaw shattered by a bullet, but 
kept his place until the regiment was ordered to retire to give 
place to the First Iowa and some Kansas troops. 

" Just then General Green's Tennessee regiment of cavalry, 
bearing a secession flag, charged down the western slope near 
the rear upon a few companies of the Kansas Second who 
were guarding the ambulance wagons and wounded, and had " 
nearly overpowered them, when one of Totten's howitzers waa 



210 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

turned in that direction, and a few rounds of canister effectu- 
ally dispersed tliem. The roar of tlie distant and near artil- 
lery now grew terrific. On all sides it was one continuous 
boom, while the music of the musket and rifle balls flying like 
an aggravated swarm of bees around one's ears was actually 
pleasant, compared with the tremendous whiz of a cannon ball 
or the bui'sting of a shell in close proximity to one's dignity. 

" Up to this time General Lyon had received two wounds, 
and had his fine dappled grey shot under him, which is suf- 
ficient evidence that he had sought no place of safety for him- 
self while he placed his men in clanger. Indeed he had 
already unwisely exposed himself Seeing blood upon his hat, 
I inquired, " General, are you badly hurt ?" to which he 
replied, " I think not seriously." He had mounted another 
horse, and was as busily engaged as ever. 

" The Iowa First, under Lieutenant-Colonel Merritt, and 
part of the Kansas troops were ordered forward to take the 
place of the Missouris. They fought like tigers, stood firm as 
trees, and saved us from utter and overwhelming defeat. Gen- 
eral Lyon saw their indomitable perseverance and bravery, 
and with almost his last breath praised their behavior in glow- 
ing terms. Three companies of the lowans were placed in 
ambush by Captain Granger, of the regulars. Lying down 
close to the brow of the hill, they waited for another attempt 
of the enemy to retake their position. On they came, in over- 
whelming numbers. Not a breath was heard among the 
lowas, till their enemies came within thirty-five or forty feet, 
when the V poured the contents of their Minie muskets into the 
enemy, and routed them, though suffering terribly themselves 
at the same time. Two Kansas companies afterward did the 
same thing on the eastern slope, and repulsed a vigorous attack 
of the enemy. 

" Lyon now desired the men to prepare to make a baj^onet 
charge immediately after delivering their next fire. The 
lowas at once offered to go, and asked for a leader. On came 
the enem^. No time could be lost to select a leader. " I will 
lead you,' exclaimed Lyon. " Come on, brave men." He 



OF THE WAR. 211 

had fibout placed liimself in the van of the lowas, while Gen-- 
oral Sweeney took a similar position to lead on a portion of 
the Kansas troop, when the enemy came only near enough to 
discharge their pieces, and retired hefore the destructive fire 
of our men. Before the galling fire from the enemy, the brave 
General Lyon fell. 

" The command now devolved upon Major Sturgis. There 
was no certainty that Siegel had been engaged in the fight at 
all, as our artillery had kept up such a constant I'oar that guns 
three miles distant were but little noticed. Under these cir- 
cumstances, Major Sturgis had about determined to cross his 
command through the valley (the recent northern camp of the 
enemy) eastward, and, if possible, make a junction with Siegel 
on or near the Fayetteville road. Before he had time to give 
the necessary orders, another attack from the enemy was an- 
nounced by the volleys of musketry which were lieard on our 
right. Major Sturgis directed his attention that way, and the 
enemy were again repulsed. 

" Captain Totten then reported his cannon ammunition nearlj 
gone. This decided the course to be pursued, and Major 
Sturgis at once sent the ambulances toward the city, and 
Lietenant DuBois' battery back to the hill at the north end of 
the valley, to protect the retreat. Then, in good order, the 
remnant of the bravest body of soldiers in the United States 
commenced a retreat, even while they were victorious in 
battle." 

Siegel was experiencing the fortunes of a reverse on the 
East. He had advanced so rapidly as to surprise the enemy, 
and, by capturing his pickets, was upon them like a whirlwind. 
They flew before him as he pressed his way toward the 
Fayetteville road, which he reached, and a fine position was 
secured on a hill. Having heard the firing suddenly cease in 
the direction of Lyon's forces, he supposed the Federal attack, 
like his own, to have been successful ; and, that Lyon's troops 
were pursuing the enemy, he deemed conclusive from the 
large bodies of the rebels moving toward the South. He 
stated, in his report : " This was the state of affairs at half-past 



212 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

eight o'clock, A, M., when it was reported that Lyon's men 
were coming up the road. Lieutenant Albert, of the Third, 
and Colonel Salomon, of the Fifth, notified their regiments not 
to fire on troops coming in that direction, whilst I cautioned 
the artillery in the same manner. Our troops, at this moment, 
expected with anxiety the approach of our friends, and were 
waving the flag raised as a signal to their comrades, when at 
once two batteries opened their fire against us — one in front, 
on the Fayetteville road, and the other upon the hill upon 
which we had supposed Lyon's forces were in pursuit of the 
enemy, whilst a strong column of infantry — supposed to be 
the Iowa regiment — advanced from the Fayetteville road, and 
attacked our right. 

" It is impossible for me to describe the consternation and 
frightful confusion which was occasioned by this important 
event. The cry, 'They (Lyon's troops) are firing against us !* 
spread like wildfire through our ranks ; the artillerymen, 
ordered to fire, and directed by myself, tjould hardly be 
brought forward to serve their pieces ; the infantry would not 
load their ai-m? 'mtil it was too late. The enemy arrived 
within ten paces of the muzzles of our cannon, killed the 
horses, turned the flanks of the infantry, and forced them to 
fly. The troops were throwing themselves into the bushes 
and by-roads, retreating as well as they could, followed and 
attacked incessantly by large bodies of Arkansas and Texas 
cavaliy. In this retreat we lost five cannon (of which three 
were spiked,) and the colors of the Third — the color-bearer 
having been wounded and his substitute killed. The total 
loss of the two regiments, the artillery and the pioneers, in 
killed, wounded and missing, amounts to eight hundred and 
ninety-two men." -^ 

Siegel stated, as the chief cause of the repulse, that four 
hundred men of the three months troops, (Colonel Salomon's 
regiment,) whose term of enlistment had expred, were unwill- 
ing to go into the fight, and stampeded at the first opportunity. 
Their defection and insubordination lost all at the critical 
moment. 



OW THE WAR. 213» 

The affair was, notwithstanding these reverses, a drawn bat- 
tle. The enemy, after their last repulse hj Major Sturgis, re-" 
tired in confusion and prepared to retreat, fearing an advance 
by oui troops — as would have been the case had not the artil- 
lery ammunition have given out, as reported. The rebels set 
fire to and consumed a large train of theii* stores, munitions 
and camp equipment, fearing their capture by the Federals, 
This alone proves how nearly the battle was won on the right 
and front. Had Siegel appeared at that opportune moment 
tho large army of the enemy (confessed to have been 23,000 
strong) would have been overwhelmed with defeat by 5,500 
Federal troops. 

The Federal forces, under Major Sturgis, fell back, in good 
orcler, toward Springfield — the enemy not pursuing — another 
proof of their own repulse. After the arrival at Springfield it 
wf.s determined to fall back upon Eolla, immediatelj^, since it 
was evident the enemy would soon cut off retreat in that direc- 
tion. Siegel took command of the general disposition for the 
retreat. He was called upon to exercise all his ingenuity to 
got out of the net now thrown around him by the strong col- 
umns of the rebels, who well knew every rood of soil in that 
section. Preparations were begun for the retreat on the night 
of the 14th. By day-break the Federal columns were on the 
march toward the Gasconade. A correspondent, on the even- 
ing of the 10th, wrote : " With a baggage train five miles long 
to protect, it will be singular indeed, if the enemy does not 
prove enterprising enough to cut off a portion of it, having 
such a heavy force of cavalry." But, the retreat was safely 
effected, and the vicinity of Eolla was reached Saturday, Au- 
gust 19th. There the three months men were disposed for 
disbandment, and the gallant Iowa First was sent forward im- 
mediately to St. Louis to b'e mustered out of service — their 
term having also expired. 

The official reports of the Federal losses showed them to be 
as follows : killed, 223 ; wounded, 721 ; missing, 292. Of the 
latter 231 belonged to Siegel's brigade. Of the wounded 208 
v^ere of the First Missouri, 181 of the First Kansas and 138 



214 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES . 

of tlie First Iowa volunteers — proving liow well these regi- 
ments fought 

This disaster was followed by an inroad of the enemy, as 
Lyon forescxw, which soon gave them possession of that por- 
tion of the State. It cost much blood and treasure, and many 
months of hard campaigning to dislodge them. Had Lyon 
been reenforced all would have been well. Even two or three 
fresh regiments of infantry and one of cavalry would have fill- 
ed np the ranks of the retiring three months men, and have 
afforded forces enough to have kept the enemy at bay until 
Fremont could come on in force. The loss of Springfield in- 
flicted untold suffering npon the Unionists of that section. It 
was a disaster for which the country did not cease to hold Fre- 
mont responsible, although the General urged the strong plea 
that his men were totally unfit for the field from want of arms, 
transportation, &c. 

Price, immediately after the retreat, moved his entire forces 
into Springfield, from whence he issued the following procla- 
mation to the People of Missouri : 

" Fellow Citizens : The array under my command has been or- 
ganized under the Laws of tlie State for the ijrotection of your homes 
and firesides, and for the maintenance of the rights, dignity, and honor 
of Missouri. It is kept in the field for tliese purposes alone, and to aid 
in accomplishing them our gallant Southern brethren have come into our 
State. 

" We have just achieved a glorious victory over the foe, and scattered 
far and "wide the appointed army -nhich the usurper at Washington 
has been more than six months gathering for your subjugation and en- 
Blavement. This victory frees a lai-gc portion of the State from the pow- 
er of the invaders, and restores it to the i^rotection of its army. It con- 
eequcntly becomes my duty to assure you that it is my firm determin- 
ation to protect every peaceable and law abiding citizen in the full enjoy- 
ment of all his rights, whatever may have been his symiiathies in the 
present unhajJijy struggle, if he has not taken an active part in the cruel 
warfare which has been waged against the good people of this State by 
the ruthless enemies whom we have just defeated. I therefore invite all 
good citizens to return to their homes and the jaractice of their ordinary 
avocation, with the full assurance that they, their families, their homes, 
and their property shall be carefully protected. 

*' I at the same time warn all evil-disposed persons who may support 



OP THE WAR. 215 

the usurpations of any one claiming to be provisional or temporary Gov- 
ernor of Missouri, or wlio shall in any other way give aid or comfort to 
the enemy, that they will be held as enemies and treated accordingly. 
" (Signed) STERLING PRICE, ° 

"Major General Commanding Missouri State Guard." 
This had the effect to throw into his ranks a large number 
of those people in the south-western portion of the State who 
awaited the result of this conflict before determining their 
allegiance. It also forced acquiescence from all settlers who 
did not flee with the Federal army ; but even that acquies- 
cence did not protect their farms from devastation by the 
hordes of veritable " cut-throats" of which the invading ai-my 
■was largely composed. 



XX. 



THE SECOND DISASTER IN MISSOURI. THE SIEGE AND 
FALL OF LEXINGTON. 

The seventy-two hours defense of Lexington, by twenty- 
seven hundred and eighty troops under command of Colonel 
William Mulligan, was one of the most gallant affairs of the 
"War, Learning that Price was pushing up in strong force 
toward Lexington, Colonel Mulligan started, September 1st 
•with his Lish (Chicago) brigade, from his camp near Jefferson 
city — determined to hold Lexington at all hazards. If Lex- 
ington was lost it would give the rebels command of the Mis- 
souri, cutting off communication with the army in Kansas and 
threatening Jefferson city. As foreseen by Lyon, the rebels 
had, after their victory near Springfield, overrun the entire 
western section of the State, and so rapid were their advance 
toward the North and East that by September 1st the line of 
28 



216 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Missouri river was tlireatened. by tliem. Fremont ordered 
Mulligan forward to Lexington. Colonel Marshall's cavalry 
(Illinois) was to join him, with Colonel White's Home Guards, 
while Colonel Peabody (Thirteenth Missouri) was to i'all back 
upon Lexington from Warrensburg if pressed by the enemy. 
In the meantime, General Sturgis was to move down from 
Kansas city with his entire disposable force (1,500) to the re- 
enforcement of Lexington, while General Lane was to press 
forward from Harrisonville and assail Price from that direc- 
tion. These movements, it was thought by Fremont, would 
so employ the enemy as to keep him at bay until he (Fremont) 
could come forward with his own. forces from St Louis and 
vicinity. 

Mulligan did his part. By a forced march of ten days his 
troops reached Lexington, having foraged by the way for 
rations. At Lexington he found Colonel Marshall with his 
cavalry and Colonel White's Home Guards — each command 
about five hundred strong. Colonel Peabody soon came in, 
pressed back by the enemy advancing upon Lexington from 
Warrensburg. The Federal troops had not long to wait, for, 
on the afternoon of September 11th, the rebels under Price in 
person appeared off the town. From Colonel Mulligan's own 
account of the affair,* we may quote : 

" On the 10th of September, a letter arrived from Colonel Peabody, 
saying that lie was retreating from Wan-ensbiirg, twenty-five miles dis- 
tant, and that Price "vvas pursuing him with ten thousand men. A few 
hours afterward, Colonel Peabody, with the Thirteenth Missouri, entered 
Lexington. We then had two thousand seven hundred and eighty men 
in garrison and forty rounds of cartridges. At noon of the lltli we 
commenced throwing up" our first intreuchments. In six hours after- 
wards, the enemy ojiened their fire. Colonel Peabody was ordered out 
to meet them. The camp then presented a lively scene ; officers were 
hurrying hither and thither, drawing the troops in line and giving 
orders, ani the Commander was riding with his staff to the bridge to 
encourage his men and to jilant his artillei-y. Two six-pounders were 
planted to oppose the enemy, and placed in charge of Captain Dan. 
Quirk, who remained at his post till day-break. It was a night of fear- 



* From his Detroit speech, November 29th. 



OF THE WAR. 217 

ftil .anxiety. None knew at what moment tlie enemy would be upon 
tlie little band, and the hours passed in silence and anxious waiting. 
So it continued until morning, when the Chaplain rushed into head- 
qnartere, saying that the enemy were pushing forward. Two coini)anie9 
of the Missouri Thirteenth were ordered out, and the Colonel, with the 
aid of his glass, saw General Price urging his men to the fight. They 
were met by Company K, of the Irish brigade, under Ca2>tain Quirk, 
who held them in check until Captain Dillon's company, of the Missouri 
Thirteentli, drove them back, and burned the bridge. That closed our 
work before breakfast. Immediately six companies of the Missouri 
Thirteenth and two companies of Illinois cavalry were despatched in 
search of the retreating enemy. They engaged them in a cornfield, 
fought with them gallantly, and harassed them to such an extent as to 
delay their progress, in order to give time for constructing iutrenchments 
around tlie camp on College Hill. This had the desired effect, and we 
succeeded in throwing up earth works three or four feet in height. This 
consumed the night, and was continued during the next day, the out- 
posts still opi^osing the enemy, and keeping them back as far as possible. 
At three o'clock in tlie afternoon of the 12th, the engagement opened 
with artillery. A volley of grapcshot was thrown among the otiicers, 
who stood in front of the breastworks. The guns within the intrench- 
ments immediately replied with a vigor which converted the scene into 
one of the wildest description. The gunners were inexperienced, and 
the firing was bad. We had five six-pounders, and the musketry was 
firing at every angle. Those who were not shooting at the moon were 
ehooting above it. The men wei-e ordered to cease firing, and they were 
arranged in ranks, kneeling, the front rank shooting and the others 
loading. The artillery was served with more care, and within an hour 
a shot from one of our guns dismounted their largest piece, a twelve- 
pounder, and exploded a powder caisson. This achievement was re- 
ceived with shouts of exultation by the beleaguered garrison. The 
enemy retired a distance of three miles. At seven o'clock the engage- 
ment had ceased, and Lexington was ours again. Next morning Gene- 
ral Parsons, with ten thousand men at his back, sent in a flag of truce 
to a little garrison of two thousand seven hundred men, asking permis- 
gion to enter the town and bury his dead, claiming that when the noblo 
Lyon went down, his corpse had fallen into his hands, and he had 
granted every privilege to the Federal oSicers sent after it. It was not 
necessary to adduce this as a reason why he should be permitted to 
perform an act which humanity would dictate. The request was wil- 
lingly granted, and we cheerfully assisted in burying the fallen foe. On 
Friday the work of throwing up intrenchments went on. It rained all 
dsj, and the men stood knee deep in the mud, building them. Troops 



218 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

were sent out for forage, and returned with large quantities of provl* 
Bions and fodder. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we stole seven 
days' jM-ovisions for two thousand seven hundred men. Wc had found 
no provisions at Lexington, and were compelled to get our rations as 
best wc could. A quantity of powder was obtained, and then large 
cisterns were filled with water. The men made cartridges in the cellar 
of the college building, and cast one hundred and fifty rounds of shot 
for the guns, at the foundries of Lexington. During the little respite 
the evening gave us, we cast our shot, made our cartridges, and stole 
our own provisions. We had stacks of forage, plenty of hams, bacon, 
&c., and felt that good times were in store for us. All this time, our 
pickets were constantly engaged with the enemy, and we were well 
aware that ten thousand men were threatening us, and knew that the 
struggle was to be a desperate one. Earthworks had been raised breast- 
high, enclosing an area of fifteen to eighteen acres, and surrounded by 
a ditch. Outside of this was a circle of twenty-one mines, and still 
further down were pits to embarrass the progress of the enemy. During 
the night of the 17th, wc were getting ready for the defense, and heard 
the sounds of preparation in the camp of the enemy for the attack on 
the morrow. Father Butler went around among the men and blessed 
them, and they reverently uncovered their heads and received his bene- 
diction. At nine o'clock on the morning of the 18th, the ^Irums beat 
to arms, and the terrible struggle commenced. The enemy's force had 
been increased to twenty-eight thousand men and thirteen pieces of ar- 
tillery, They came as one dark moving mass ; men armed to the teeth 
as far as the eye could reach — men, men, men, were visible. They 
planted two batteries in front, one on the left, one on the right, and one 
in the rear, and opened with a terrible fire, which was answered with 
the utmost bravery and determination. Our sjiieshad informed us that 
the rebels intended to make one grand rout, and bury us in the trenches 
of Lexington. The batteries opened at nine o'clock, and for three 
days they never ceased to pour deadly shot upon us. About noon the 
liosiDital was taken. It was situated on the left, outside of the 
intrench meiits. I had taken for granted, never thought it necessary to 
build fortifications around the sick man's couch. I had thought that, 
among civilized nations, the soldier sickened and wounded in the ser- 
vice of his country, would, at least, be sacred. But I was inexperi- 
enced, and had yet to learn that such was not the case with the rebels. 
They besieged the hospital, took it, and from the balcony and roof their 
Bharpshootcrs poured a deadly fire within our intrenchments. It con- 
tained our chaplain and surgeon, and one hundred and twenty wounded 
men. It could not be allowed to remain in the possession of the enemy. 
A company of the Missouri Thii'teentU was ordered forward to retake 



OP THE WAR. 219 

the bospital. They started on their errand, but stopped at the breast- 
works, ' going not out because it was bad to go out.' A company of 
the Missouri Fourteenth was sent forward, but it also shrank from the 
task, and refused to move outside tlic intrench ments. The Montgom- 
ery Guard, Captain Gleason, of the Irish brigade, were then brought 
out. The commander admonished tliem that the others had failed ; 
and with a brief exhortation to uphold the name they bore, gave the 
word to 'charge,' The distance was eight hundred yards. They started 
out from the intrenchment, first quick, then double-quick, then on a 
run, then fixster. The enemy poured a deadly shower of bullets upon 
them, but on they went, a Avild line of steel, and what is better than 
steel, human will. They stormed up the slope to the hospital door, 
and with irresistible bravery drove the enemy before them, and hurled 
them far down the hill beyond. At the head of those brave fellows, 
pale as marble, but not pale from fear, stood the gallant officer, Captain 
Gleason. He said, ' Come on, my brave boys,' and in they rushed. 
But ^\ hen their brave captain returned, it was with a shot through the 
cheek and another through the arm, and with but fifty of the eighty he 
had led forth. The hospital was in their possession. This charge was 
one of the most brilliant and reckless in all history, and to Captain 
Gleason belongs the glory. Each side felt, after this charge, that a 
clever thing had been done, and the fire of the enemy lagged. "We 
were in a terrible situation. Towards night the fire increased, and in 
the evening word came from the rebels that if thjc garrison did not sur- 
render befu'c the next day, they would hoist the back flag at their 
cannon and give us no quarter. Word was sent back that ' when we 
asked for quarter it would be time to settle that.' It was a terrible 
thing to see those brave fellows mangled, and with no skillful hands 
to bind their gaping wounds. Our surgeon was held with the enemy, 
against all rules of war, and that, too, when we had released a surgeon 
of theirs on liis mere pledge that he was such. Captain Moriarty went 
into the hospital, and, with nothing but a razor, acted the part of a 
surgeon. We could not be without a chaplain or surgeon any longer. 
There was in our ranks a Lieutenant Hickcy, a rollicking, jolly fellow, 
who was despatched from the hospital with orders to procure the sur- 
geon and chaplain at all hazards. Forty minutes later and the brave 
Lieutenant was borne by, severely wounded. As lie was borne past I 
heard him exclaim, ' God have mercy on my little ones !' And God did 
Lear his prayers, for the gay Lieutenant is up, as rollicking as ever, and. 
is now forming his brigade to return to the field. On the morning of 
the 19th the firing was resumed and continued all day. We recovered 
our surgeon and chaplain. The day was signalized by a fierce bayonet 
charge upon a regiment of the enemy, which served to show them that 



220 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

our men ■were not yet completely worried out. The officers had told 
them to hold out until the 19th, when they would certainly be reen- 
forced. Through that day our little garrison stood with straining eyes, 
watching to see if some friendly flag was bearing aid to them — with 
straining car, awaiting the sound of a friendly cannonade. But no re- 
enforcements appeared, and, with the energy of despair, they determined 
to do their duty at all hazard. The 19th was a horrid day. Our water 
cisterns had been drained, and we dared not leave the crown of the hill, 
and make our intrenchments on the bank of the river, for the enemy 
could have planted his cannon on the hill and buried us. The day was 
burning hot, and the men bit their cartridges ; their lips were parched 
and blistered. But not a word of murmuring. The night of the 19th 
two wells were ordered to be dug. We took a ravine, and expected to 
reach water in about thirty hours. During the night, I passed around 
the field, smoothed back the clotted hair, and by the light of the moon, 
shining through the trees, recognized here and there the countenances 
of my brave men who had fallen. Some were my favorites in days gone 
past, who had stood by me in these hours of terror, and had fallen on 
the hard fought field. * Sadly we buried them in the trenches. The 
morning of the 20th broke, but no recnforcements appeared, and still 
the men fought on. The rebels had constructed movable breastworks 
of hemp bales, rolled them up the hill, and advanced their batteries in 
a manner to command the fortification. Heated shot were firod at 
them, but they had taken the precaution to soak the bales in the Mis- 
souri. The attack was urged with renewed vigor, and, during the fore- 
noon, the outer breastworks were taken by a charge of the rebels iu 
force. The whole line was broken, and the enemy rushed in u^jon us. 
Captain Fitzgerald, whom I had known in my younger days, and whom 
we had been accustomed to call by the familiar nickname, ' Saxy,' was 
then ordered to o^Dpose his company to the assailants. As I gave the 
order, ' Saxy, go in,' the gallant Fitzgerald, at the head of company I, 
with a wild yell rushed in ujDon the enemy. The Commander sent for 
a company on which he could rely ; the tiring suddenly ceased, and 
when the smoke rose from the field, I obseiwed the Michigan company, 
under their gallant young commander. Captain Patrick McDcrmott, 
charging the enemy and driving them back. Many of our good fellows 
were lying dead, our cartridges had failed, and it was evident that the 
tight would soon cease. It was now three o'clock, and all on a sudden 
an orderly came, saying that the enemy had sent a flag of truce. With 
the flag came the following note from General Price : 
" ' Colonel — What has caused the cessation of the fight ? ' 
"The Colonel returned it with the following reply written on the 
back : — 



OP THE WAR. 221 

" ' General — I liardly know, unless you have surrenderecl.' 
" He took pains to assure me, however, that such was not the case. I 
learned soon after that the Home Guard had hoisted the white flag. 
The Lieutenant who had thus hoisted the flag was threatened with in* 
stant death unless he pulled it down. The men all said, ' we have no 
cartridges, and a vast horde of the enemy is about us.' They were told 
to go to the line and stand there, and use the charge at the muzzle of 
their guns or perish there. They grasped their weapons the fiercer, turned 
calmly about, and stood firmly at their posts. And there they stood 
without a murmur, praying as they never prayed before, that the rebel 
horde would show themselves at the earthworks. An officer remarked, 
'this is butchery.' The conviction became general, and a council of war 
was held. And when, finally, the white flag was raised, Adjutant Cos- 
grove, of your city, shed bitter tears. The place was given up, ujion 
what conditions, to this day I hardly know or care. The enemy came 
pouring in. One foppish officer, dressed in the gaudiest uniform of his 
rank, strutted up and down through the camp, stopped before our men, 
took out a pair of handcuff's, and holding them uj), said, ' Do you know 
what these are for V We were placed in file, and a figure on hoi'seback, 
looking much like ' Death on the pale horse,' led us through the streets 
of Lexington. As we j^asscd, the secession ladies of Lexington came 
from their houses, and from the fence tops jeered at us. We were then 
taken to a hotel with no rations and no proprietor. After we had board- 
ed there for some time, we started with General Price, on the morning of 
the 30th, for ' the land of Dixie.' " 

Tliis disaster intensely excited tlie coiintiy against tlie com- 
manding General of the West. It was pronounced a " reck- 
less sacrifice of men," a " piece of bad generalship," a " reck- 
less disregard of circumstances ;" the loss of Lyon and the re- 
treat of his forces were recalled with much bitterness ; and the 
call became loud for Fremont's supercedure. But, it is cer- 
tain that Fremont was unable to cope with all the embarrass- 
ing circumstances by which he was surrounded. He assumed 
command of the Department at a date when all other cam- 
paigns w^ere already organized and in motion. He found few 
men, few arms, but little artillerj^, no transports awaiting him 
— all had to be created. The enemy, in the meanwhile, was. 
in the field — armed and ready for an immediate attempt to 
" drive the invaders and the hireling Dutch beyond the Mis- 
sissippi." He fell upon Lyon and Siegel in overwhelming 



222 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

force, and pressed tlie Federal lines back until Lexington was 
open before him. That Fremont, during all this advance, was 
alive to the peril, his almost reckless exertions to obtain arms, 
horses, artillery and transports, all attest ; and, if he did not 
succeed in keeping Price out of Lexington, it is certain that 
he came so near accomplishing the circumvention and capture 
of the combined rebel forces, that the country has not hesitated 
to exonerate him from much, if not all, the blame at one time 
heaped upon him.* His suspension from command at the 
very moment when he was about to meet his foe, and to real- 
ize the fruits of his unquestionably well-laid schemes, was one 
of those military errors which seem inseparable from every 
great war. 



XXI. 



THE CHARGE OF THE THREE HUNDRED. 

The charge of Fremont's " Body Guard" under Major 
Zagonyi, and the " Prairie Scouts" of Major Frank Ward into 
Springfield, is conceded to have been one of the most brilliant 
feats of arms of modern warfare. 

* The clefeuse of Fremont made by the Hon. Schuyler Colfax, through 
the columns of the South Bend (Indiana) liegister^ silenced cavil and 
excited sympathy for him even among those whose censures had been 
most severe. It was shown that, as rajiidly as Fremont would fit his 
men for the field they were taken from him and sent to swell the ranks 
of the army of the Potomac — where the peril was regarded as more 
imminent than in JMissouri. Five thousand men ready to support Mul- 
ligan were, at the very moment of their departure, counter-ordered to 
the East. 

An interesting series of papers on " Fremont's Hundred Days in Mis- 
souri," will be found in the Atlantic Monthly for January, February and 
March, 18G3. 



OF THE WAB. 223 

Charles Zagonyi was a Hungarian refugee wlio, like so many 
of his countrymen, had fled to this country after the suppres- 
sion of tlic revolution in his native country by the iron hand 
of the Eussian Czar, Ilis daring character brought the young 
officer to the notice of the invincible General Bern, by 
whom he was placed in command of a troop of picked cavalry 
for extraordinary service. His story, after that hour, up to 
the date of his capture by the enemy, was one of unparalleled 
daring. Ilis last act was to charge upon a heavy artillery 
force. Over one half of his men were killed and the rest 
made prisoners, but not until after the enemy had suffered 
terribly. He was then confined in an Austrian dungeon, and 
finally released, at the end of two years, to go into exile in 
America. 

Fremont drew around him a large number of these refugees 
from European tyranny, and found in them men of great 
value, in all departments of the service. Zagonyi enlisted 
three hundred carefully chosen men who, as a " Bod}^ Guard," 
served as pioneers and scouts in Fremont's advance. The ex- 
ploit at Springfield was only one of many similar services for 
which they were designated by Fremont ; but, the suspension 
of his command in Missouri broke up the Guard and Zagonyi 
withdrew from the service until his leader should again be 
given a command. 

The Guard was mounted, and was armed with German 
sabers and revolvers — the first company only having carbines. 
The horses were all bay in color, and were chosen with special 
reference to speed and endurance. 

The expedition to Springfield was planned, as it afterwards 
appeared, upon false information. Instead of Springfield be- 
ing held by a small force, it was in possession of twelve hun- 
dred infantry and four hundred cavalry. Major Frank White 
had been ordered by General Siegel to make a reconnoissanco 
toward Springfield — the Union army then being at Camp 
Haskell, south of the Pomme de Terre River, thirty-four miles 
from Warsaw and fifty-one from Springfield. The Major had 
just come in with his dashing " Prairie Scouts," one hundred 
29 



224 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and fifty- four strong, from their gallant dash into Lexington ; 
and the order to strike out for the reconnoissance found them 
jaded from over service. The Major, however, put out, and 
was far on his way when, on the 24th (of October) he was 
joined by Zagonyi, who assumed command of the expedition, 
by order of Fremont. Zagonyi had with him one half of his 
Guard, provided with only one ration. The march to Spring- 
field was to be forced, in order that the enemy should be sur- 
prised and the place secured before rebel reenforcements could 
reach it. The combined Scouts and Guard marched all 
Thursday (October 24th) night ; briefly rested Friday morn- 
ing, then pushed on and were before Springfield at three P. M. 
on the 25th — the fifty-one- miles having been accomplished in 
eighteen hours. 

Eight miles from Springfield five mounted rebels were 
caught ; a sixth escaped and gave the alarm to the forces in 
the town, whose strength, Zagonyi learned from a Union 
farmer, was fully two thousand strong. Nothing was left but 
a retreat or bold dash. Zagonyi did not hesitate. His men 
responded to his own spirit fully, and w^ere eager for the 
adventure, let it result as it would. Major White was so ill 
from over work that, at Zagonyi's entreaty, he remained at a 
farm-house for a brief rest. The Union farmer offered to pilot 
the Body Guard around to the Mount Vernon approach on the 
"YVest — thus hoping to effect a surprise in that direction, as the 
enemy was, doubtless, aligned to receive the assault on the 
Bolivar road, on the North. Of this detour White knew no- 
thing, and after his rest he pushed on w^ith his guard of five 
men and a Lieutenant, to overtake his troops. He travelled 
up to the very outskirts of the town, and yet did not come up 
to his men. Supposing them in possession of the place, he 
kept on and soon found himself in a rebel camp — a prisoner. 
He was immediately surrounded by a crew of savages, who at 
once resolved to have his life. Captain Wroton, a rebel ofii- 
cer, only saved the Federal ofl&cer and his men from murder 
by swearing to protect them with his life. The blood-thirsty 



OF THE WAR. 225 

wretches were only kept at bay hj tlie constant presence of 
Wroton. 

We may quote the particulars of the charge as given by 
Mnjor Dorsheimer in his most admirable papers on Fremont's 
Campaign, before referred to, in the Atlantic Mvnthly: 

The foe \yere advised of the intended attack. When Miijor "Wright 
was brought into their camp, they were preparing to defend their posi- 
tion. As appears from the confession of prisoners, they had twenty-two 
hundred men, of whom four hundred were cavahy, the rest being in- 
fantry, armed with shot guns, American rifles, and revolvers. Twelve 
hundred of their foot were posted along the edge of the wood upon the 
crest of the hill. The cavalry was stationed upon the extreme left, on 
top of a spur of the hill, and in front of a patch of timber. Sharp- 
shooters were concealed behind the trees close to the fence along-side 
the lane, and a small number in some underbrush near the foot of the 
hill. Another detachment guarded their train, holding possession of 
the county fair-ground, which was surrounded by a high board-fence. 

This position was unassailable by cavalry from the road, the only 
j)oint of attack being down the lane on the right ; and the enemy were 
so disposed as to command this approach jjerfectly. The lane was a 
blind one, being closed, after passing the brook, by fences and ploughed 
land ; it was in fact a cul-de-sac. If the infantry should stand, nothing 
could save the rash assailants. There are horsemen sufficient to sweep 
the little band before them, as helplessly as the withered forest-leaves 
in the grasp of the autumn winds ; there are deadly marksmen lying 
behind the trees upon the heights and lurking in the long grass ui^on 
the lowlands; while a long line of foot stand upon the summit of the 
slope, who, only stepping a few j^aces back into the forest, may defy the 
boldest riders. Yet, down this narrow lane, leading into the very jaws 
of death, came the three hundred. 

On the prairie, at the edge of the woodland in which he knew his 
wily foe lay hidden, Zagonyi halted his command. He spurred along 
the line. With eager glance he scanned each horse and rider. To his 
officers he gave the simple order, " Follow me! do as I do !" and then, 
drawing up in front of his men, with a voice tremulous and shrill with 
emotion, he spoke — 

" Fellow-soldiers, comrades, brothers ! This is your first battle. For 
our three hundred, the enemy are two thousand. If any of you are 
sick, or tired by the long march, or if any think the number is too 
great, now is the time to turn back." He paused— no one was sick or 
tired. " We must not retreat. Our honor, the honor of our General 
and our country, tell us to go on. I will lead you. We have been 



226 TXCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

called holiday soldiers for tlie pavements of St. Louis ; to-day wo will 
sliow that we arc soldiers for the )jattle. Your watchword shall be — 
*• The Union and Fremont P Draw saber I By the rip;ht iiauk — quick 
trot — march !' 

Briji'ht swords flashed in the sunshine, a passionate shout burst from 
every liji. and with one accord, the trot passing into a gallop, the com- 
pact column swept on in its deadly purpose. Most of them were boys. 
A few weeks before they had left their homes. Those Avho wei'c cool 
enough to uote it say that ruddy cheeks grew i)ale, and fiery eyes were 
dimmed with tears. Who shall tell what thoughts, what visions of 
peaceful cottages nestling among the groves of Kentucky, or shining 
upon the banks of the Ohio and the Illinois — what sad recollections of 
tearful farewells, of tender, loving faces, filled their minds during those 
fearful moments of suspense ? No word was spoken. With lips com- 
pressed, firmly clenching their sword-hilts, with quick ti'amp of hoofs 
and clang of steel, honor leading and glory aw^aiting them, the young 
soldiers flew forward, each brave rider and each straining steed mem- 
bers of one huge creature, enormous, terrible, irresistible. 
" ' T were worth ten years of peaceful life, 
One glance at their array." 

They i)ass the fair-ground. They are at the corner of the lane where 
the wood begins. It runs close to the fence on their left for a hundred 
yards, and beyond it they see white tents gleaming. They are half-way 
past the forest, when, sharp and loud, a volley of musketry bursts upon 
the head of the column; horses stagger, riders reel and fill 1, but the 
troop presses forward undismayed. The farther corner of the wood 13 
reached, and Zagonyi beholds the terrible array. Amazed, he invohtn- 
tarily checks his horse. The Rebels are not surprised. There to his 
left they stand crowning the height, foot and horse ready to engulpU 
him, if he shall be rash enough to goon. The road he is following 
declines rapidly. There is but one thing to do — run the gauntlet, gain 
the cover of the hill, and charge up the steep. These thoughts pass 
quicker than they can be told. He waves his saber over his head, and 
shouting, " Forward ! follow me ! quick trot ! gallop !" he dashes head- 
long down the stony r.iad. The first company, and most of the second 
follow. From the left a thousand muz/.les belch forth a liissing flood 
oLbuUets; the poor fellows clutch wildly at the air and fall from their 
saddles, and maddened horses throw themselves against the fences. 
Their speed is not for an instant checked ; farther down the hill they 
fly, like wasps driven by the leaden storm. Sharp volleys i)our out of 
the uaderln-ush at the left, clearing wide gaps through their ranks. 
They leap the brook, take down the fence, and draw up under shelter 
of the hill. Zagonyi looks around him, and to his horror sees that only 



OF THE WAR. 2*27 

a fourth of his men arc with him. He cries, "They do not come — wo 
are lost !" and frantically waves his saber. 

He has not long to -wait. The delay of the rest of the Guard was not 
from hesitation. When Captain Foley reached the lower corner of the 
wood and saw the enemy's line, he thought a flank attack might be ad- 
yantageously made. He ordered some men to dismount and take down 
the fence. This was done under a severe fire. Several men fell, and 
he found the wood so dense that it could not be penetrated. Looking 
down the hill, he saw the flash of Zagonyi's saber, and at once gave the 
order, " Forward !" At the same time. Lieutenant Kennedy, a stalwart 
Kentuckian, shouted, " Come on, boys ! remember Old Kentucky 1" 
and the third company of the Guard, fire on every side of tliem — from 
behind trees, from under the fences — with thundering strides and loud 
cheers, poured down the slope and rushed to the side of Zagonyi. They 
have lost seventy dead and Avounded men, and the carcasses of horses 
are strewn along the lane. Kennedy is wounded in the arm, and lies 
upon the stones, his faithful charger standing motionless beside him. 
Lieutenant Goff received a wound in the thigh ; he kept his seat, and 
cried out, " The devils have hit me, but I will give it to thcin yet 1" 

The remnant of the Guard arc now in the field under the hill, and 
from the shape of the ground the Rebel fire sweeps with the roar of a 
whirlwind over their heads. Here we will leave them for a moment, 
and trace the fortunes of the Prairie Scouts. 

When Foley brought his troop to a halt, Captain Fairbanks, at tho 
head of the first company of Scouts, was at the point where the first 
volley of musketry had been received. The narrow lane was crowded 
by a dense mass of struggling horses, and filled with the tumult of 
battle. Captain Fairbanks says, and he is corroborated l)y several of 
his men who were near, that at this moment an officer of the Guard 
rode up to him and said, " They are flying; take your men down that 
lane and cut off" their retreat" — pointing to the lane at the left. Captain 
Fairbanks was not able to identify the person who gave this order. It 
certainly did not come from Zngonyi, who was several hundred yards 
farther on. Captain Fairbanks executed the order, followed by the 
second company of Prairie Scouts, under Captain Kehoe. When this 
movement was made, Captain Naughton, with the Third Irish dragoons, 
had not reached the corner of the lane. He came up at a gallop, and 
was about to follow Fairbanks, Avhen he saw a Guardsman who pointed 
in the direction in which Zagonyi had gone. He took this for an order, 
and obeyed it. When he reached the gap in the fence, made by Foley, 
not seeing anything of the Guard, he supposed they had passed through 
at that place, and gallantly attempted to follow. Thirteen men fell in 
a few minutes. He was shot in the arm and dismounted. Lieutenant 



228 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Connolly spurred into the undcrbrusli and received two balls tlirong"h 
the Inngs and one in the left shoulder. The dragoons, at the outset 
not more than fifty strong, were broken, and, dispirited by the loss of 
their officers, retired. A sergeant rallied a few and brought them up 
to the gap again, and they were again driven back. Five of the boldest 
passed down the hill, joined Zagonyi, and were consi^icuous for their 
valor during the rest of the day. Fairbanks and Kehoe, having gained 
the rear and left of the enemy's position, made two or three assaults 
upon detached jjarties of the foe, but did not join in the main attack. 

I now return to the Guard. It is forming under the shelter of the 
hill. In front, with a gentle inclination, rises a grassy slope broken by 
occasional tree-stumps. A line of fire upon the summit marks the po- 
sition of the rebel infantry, and nearer and on the top of a lower emi- 
nence to the right stand their horse. Uj? to this time no Guardsman 
has struck a blow, but blue coats and bay horses lie thick along the 
Woody lane. Their time has come. Lieutenant Maythenyi with thirty 
men is ordered to attack the cavalry. With sabres flashing over theii' 
heads, the little band of heroes spring towards their tremendous foe. 
Right upon the centre they charge. The dense mass ojDens, the blue 
coats force their way in, and the whole rebel squadron scatter in dis- 
graceful flight through the corn-fields in the rear. The bays follow 
them sabring the fugitives. Days after, the enemy's horses lay thick 
among the uncut corn. 

Zagonyi holds his main body until IMaythenyi disappears in the cloud 
of rebel cavalry ; then his voice rises through the air: "In open order 
■ — charge ! " The line opens out to give play to their sword-arm. 
Steeds respond to the ardor of their riders, and quick as thought, with 
thrilling cheers, the noble hearts rush into the leaden torrent which 
pours down the incline. With, unal)ated fire the gallant fellows press 
through. Their fierce onset is not even checked. The foe do not wait 
for them — they wavei", break and fly. The Guardsmen sj^ur into the 
midst of the rout, and their fast-falling swords work a terrible revenge. 
Some of the boldest of the Southrons retreat into the woods, and con- 
tinue a murderous fire from behind trees and thickets. Seven Guard 
horses fall upon a space not more than twenty feet square. As his 
steed sinks under him, one of the officers is caught around the shoulders 
by a grape-vine, and hangs dangling in the air until he is cut down by 
his friends. 

The rebel foot are flying in furious haste from the field. Some take 
refuge in the fair-ground, some hurry into the corn-fields, but the great- 
er part run along the edge of the wood, swarm over the fence into the 
road, and hasten to the village. The Guardsmen follow. Zagonyi 
leads them. Over the loudest roar of battle rings his clarion voice — • 



'■' ^■''0m\\ 




^miiiiiimMMmv^imisM^di 



/ 

OF THE WAR. 229 

" Come on, Old Xentnck ! I'm with you ! " And the flash of his sword- 
blade tells his men where to go. As he approaches a barn, a man steps 
from behind the door and lowers his rifle ; but before it has reached a 
level, Zagouyi's sabre-point descends upon his head, and his life-blood 
leaps to the very top of the huge barn-door. 

The conflict now raged through the village — in the public square, and 
along the streets. Up and down the Guards ride in squads of three or 
four, and wherever they see a group of the enemy, charge upon and 
scatter them. It is hand to hand. No one but has a share in the fray. 

There v/as at least one soldier in the Southern ranks. A young officer, 
superbly mounted, charges alone upon a large body of the Guard. He 
passes through the line unscathed, killing one man. He wheels, charges 
back, and again breaks through, killing another man. A third time he 
rushes upon the Federal line, a score of sabre-points confront him, a 
cloud of bullets fly around him, but he pushes on until he reaches Za- 
gonyi — he presses his pistol so close to the Majoi''s side, that he feels it 
and draws convulsively back, the bullet passes through the front of 
Zagonyi's coat, who at the instant runs the daring rebel through the 
body ; he falls, and the men, thinking their commander hurt, kill him 
with a dozen wounds. 

" He was a brave man," said Zagonyi afterwards, " and I did wish to 
make him prisoner." 

Meanwhile it has grown dark. The foe have left the village and the 
battle has ceased. The assembly is sounded, and the Guard gathers in 
the Plasa. Not more than eighty mounted men appear : the rest are 
killed, wounded, or unhorsed. At this time one of the most charac- 
teristic incidents of the aflfair took place. 

Just before the charge, Zagonyi directed one of his buglers, a French- 
man, to sound a signal. The bugler did not seem to pay any attention 
to the order, but darted off with Lieutenant Maythenyi. A few momenta 
afterwards he was observed in another part of the field vigorously pur- 
suing the flying infantry. His active form was always seen in the 
thickest of the fight. When the line was formed in the Plaza, Zagonyi 
noticed the bugler, and approaching him said : " In the midst of battle 
you disobeyed my order. You are unworthy to be a member of the 
Guard. I dismiss you." The bugler showed his bugle to his indignant 
commander— the mouth-piece of the instrument was shot away. He 
said: "The mouth was shoot off. I could not bugle viz mon bugle, 
and so I bugle viz mon pistol and sabre." It is unnecessary to add, the 
brave Frenchman was not dismissed. 

I must not forget to mention Sergeant Hunter, of the Kentucky com- 
pany. His soldierly figure never failed to attract the eye in the ranka 
of the Guard- He had served in the regular cavalry, and the Body- 



230 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Guard had profited greatly from his skill as a drill-master. He lost 
three horses in the fight. As soon as one was killed, he caught another 
from the rebels: the third horse taken by him in this way he rode into 
St. Louis. 

The Sergeant slew five men. " I won't speak of those I shot," said 
he — "another may have hit them; but those I touched with my sabre I 
am sure of, because I felt them." 

At the beginning of the chai'ge, he came to the extreme right and took 
position next to Zagonyi, whom he followed closely through the battle. 
The JIajor, seeing him, said : 

*'Why are you here, Sergeant Hunter? Your place is with your 
company on the left." "I kind o'wanted to be in the front," was the 
answer. 

*' What could I say to such a man ?" exclaimed Zagonyi, speaking of 
tlie matter afterwards. 

There was hardly a horse or rider among the survivors that did not 
bring away some mark of the fray. I saw one animal with no less thaa 
seven wounds — none of them serious. Scabbai'ds were bent, clothes 
and caps pierced, pistols injured. I saw one pistol from which the sight 
had been cut as neatly as it could have been done by machinery, A 
piece of board a few inches long was cut from a fence on the field, in 
■which there were thiity-oue shot-holes. 

It was now nine o'clock. The wounded had been carried to tho 
hospital. The dismounted troopers were placed in charge of them — in 
the double capacity of nurses and guards. Zagonyi expected the foe to 
return every minute. It seemed like madness to try and hold tho town 
■with his small force, exhausted by the long march and desperate fight. 
He therefore left Springfield, and retired before morning twenty-fivo 
miles on the Bolivar road. 

Captain Fairbanks did not see his commander after leaving the column 
in the lane, at the commencement of the engagement. About dusk ho 
repaired to the prairie, and remained there within a mile of the village 
until midnight, when he followed Zagonyi, rejoining hira in the morn- 
ing. 

I will now return to Major Wliite, During the conflict upon the hill, 
he was in the forest near the front of the rebel line. Here his horse 
■was shot under him. Captain Wroton kept careful watch over him. 
When the flight began he hurried AVhite away, and, accompanied by 
a squad of eleven men, took him ten miles into the country. They stoj?- 
ped at a farm-house for the night. White discovered that their host 
■was a Union man. His parole having expired, he took advantage of tho 
momentary absence of his captor to speak to the fixrmer, telling him who 
he was, and asking him to send for assistance. The countryman mount- 



OF THE "WAR. 231 

ed his son upon his swiftest horse, and sent him for succor. The party 
lay down by the fire, White being placed in the midst. The rebels were 
soon asleep, but there was no sleep for the Major. He listened anxious- 
ly for the footsteps of his rescuers. After long weary hours, he heard 
the tramp of horses. He arose, and walking on tiptoe, cautiously step' 
ping over his sleeping guard, he reached the door and silently unfasten- 
ed it. The Union men rushed into the room and took the astonished 
"Wroto'n and his followei's prisoners. At daybreak "White rode into Spri og- 
field at the head of his captives and a motley band of Home Guard. He 
found the Federals still in possession of the place. As the officer of 
highest rank, he took command. His garrison consisted of twenty-four 
men. He stationed twenty-two of them as pickets in the outskirts of 
the village, and held the other two as a reserve. At noon the enemy 
sent a flag of truce, and asked permission fo bury their dead. Major 
White received the flag with proper ceremony, but said that General 
Siegel was in command and the request would have to be referred to him. 
Siegel was then forty miles away. In a short time a written communi- 
cation purporting to come from General Siegel, saying that the rebels 
might send a party under certain restrictions to bury their dead: White 
drew in some of his pickets, stationed them about the field, and under 
their surveillance the Southern dead were buried. 

The loss of the enemy, as reported by some of their working party, was 
one hundred and sixteen killed. The number of wounded could not be 
ascertained. After the conflict had drifted away from the hill-side, 
some of the foe had returned to the field, taken aAvay their wounded, 
and robbed our dead. The loss of the Guard was fifty-three out of one 
hundred and forty-eight actually engaged, twelve men having been left 
by Zagonyi in charge of his train. The Prairie Scouts reported a loss of 
thirty one out of one hundred and thirty : half of these belonged to 
the Irish Dragoons. In a neighboring field an Irishman was found stark 
and stiff, still clinging to the hilt of his sword, which was thrust 
through the body of a rebel who lay beside him. Within a few feet a 
second rebel lay, shot through the head. 

This was the first and the last exploit of the Guard. They 
returned, soon after, to St. Louis, along with Fremont. Their 
rations and forage were denied them and they were disbanded 
— ashamed of their soiled and ragged garments, and humiliated 
at their usage. Such are the fortunes of those at the mercy 
of opposing factions of the same service. 



30 



XXII. 



BOMBARDMENT OF THE PORT ROYAL FORTS. 

Seventy vessels sailed and steamed out of Hampton Eoads, 
on the morning of Tuesday, October 29tb, stretching out to 
sea, then heading for the South, It was a fleet of conquest, 
bearing one of the most superb armaments that ever floated in 
American waters. Frigates, sloops-of-war, and ganboats were 
mixed in with stately ocean steamers ; while these had in tow 
nemerous small craft — all loaded to their fullest capacity with 
war Tnateriel. Their destination was a mystery, even to those 
on board, except to those in whose hands the direction of that 
vast expedition was entrusted. The country speculated in 
vain as to whither it would move — Charleston, Savannah, New 
Orleans, Beaufort (S.C.,) Bull's Bay — all being named as pro- 
bable points of attack. This suspense was not cleared up 
until November 10th, when it became known, through rebel 
sources, that the Port Royal forts were ours. 

The particulars of the bombardment of these forts are very 
interesting. It was one of the most imposing spectacles of the 
war — not so sublimely wild as the bombardment of the New 
Orleans forts, but very novel and magnificent as a naval 
demonstration. 

The vessels of the squadron arrived off Kibben Head (Port 
Royal Harbor entrance) during the night of Sunday and tho 
day of Monday, November 3d and 4th, The gunboats imme- 
diately commenced their soundings, to verify their old surveys 
of the chaunel. The rebel fleet, of five small vessels, under 
command of Commodore Tatnall, late of the United States 
Navy, ])ut out from one of the estuaries, and engaged the 



OF THE WAR. 233 

reconoitering and surveying boats. After a sliarp passage tlie 
rebels retired — evidently impressed with the sinallness of his 
means to cope with such antagonists. The forts on Hilton 
Head and Bay Point kept silence, nor did any land batteries 
open, to betray their whereabouts to the fleet 

To draw their fire, and determine the order of attack, the 
gunboat Mercury, under Captain Oilman, chief of the Engineer 
Corps, was dispatched " along shore" to reconnoitre. Several 
of the vessels of war during the day dropt so far into the har- 
bor, as to tempt the enemy to " show his teeth," which he did 
in a sharp manner, betraying a heavy battery on Hilton Head 
(afterwards discovered to be a well-appointed fort,) and two 
batteries on the opposite shores. The Union gunboats and the 
batteries kept up a fire for about two hours, when Commodore 
Dupont (in command of the Naval force of the expedition) 
signalled the boats out of the fight. 

Wednesday morning was fixed upon as the moment for the 
reduction of the batteries ; but, the flag-ship, Wabash., grounded 
on Fishing Rip shoal, and did not get off until too late for 
tide-flow, which her heavy draught required, in order safely to 
clear the bar and shoals. 

Thursday (November 7th) was the momentous day. The 
morning was one of the most beautiful of Southern latitudes. 
A gentle breeze broke the clear water's face into ripples, as if 
the Naiades w-ere smiling at the tragedy which portended 
Butterflies fluttered through the air, and the songs of Southern 
birds broke the stillness with their waves of melody. The 
vessels of war reposed in quiet just beyond the reach of the 
enemy's guns, while beyond swung t-he transports at anchor, 
containing fifteen thousand troops, as an audience, to witness 
in safety the sublime combat of artillery. 

At half past nine the vesi>els began to move into battle — in 
most novel and exciting disposition. The order as arrano-ed 
was to sail in singly — the flag-ship lFa5as/i first ; each vessel 
to follow in its allotted succession. Passing slowly up stream, 
the starboard guns were to pour their fire into the two bat- 
teries (or forts) on the Bay Point side — passing down stream, 



234 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

on the return, the battery (or fort) on Hilton Head, was to 
receiA^e the fire. The vessels, thus sailing in an ellipse, passed 
in and out of range of the enemy's stationary guns, dealing, 
as they passed in close range, a fearful shower of shot and 
shell. 

The first shot was fired by the Hilton Head fortification 
(Fort Walker,) as the Wahash steamed within range, at twenty- 
six minutes past nine, A. M. Three shots were thus fired. 
Then the Bay Point battery opened, when the Wahash responded 
with a terrific broadside. Her batteries consisted of twenty- 
six guns to the side, and a heavy pivot-gun fore and aft 
These literally rained their iron shower on the lesser rebel fort. 
No attention was paid to Fort Walker. The flag-ship steamed 
slowly up stream, keeping the enemy under fire about twenty 
minutes, when she winded the line, turning southward, and, 
steaming down stream, gave Fort Walker her entire attention, 
passing within eight hundred yards of the Fort, which showed 
itself to be a very powerful work, mounting very heavy and 
superior guns, whose fire proved them to be not only improved 
ordnance, but well served. 

The other vessels followed the same order of action. The 
tSusquehanna, Paiunee, Seminole, Bienville, Pocahontas, Moliican, 
Augusta, and the gunboats Ottawa, Seneca, Unadilla, Pembina, 
and Vunclalia joined in the fray, firing shell with great rapidity 
and 2?recision, and making the battery vocal v/ith their prac- 
tice. The rebels fought their guns with a desperate coolness, 
and fired with a rapidity really surprising under the circum- 
stances. In Fort Walker, against which the Federals directed 
their chief efforts — the Confederate gunners were stripped to 
the waist, and worked like furies. Their ofl&cer in command, 
Brigadier-General Drayton, was efficient, cool, and stubborn, 
but what could withstand that fearful hail ? 

Around the course the stately messengers of destruction 
moved, never faltering, never failing to come up to the work 
•with exhaustless fury. The smaller gunboats obtained a posi- 
tion close into shore where the fort guns were enfiladed, while 
the Bienville sailed in, at the second round, close to the fort, 



OF THE WAR. 235 

and gave lier tremendous guns witli sucTi fearful effect tLat 
the enemy's best guns were soon silenced, but not until the 
vessel had been well spotted with the enemy's shot. The 
Wabash also carge to a stand, at the third round, about six 
hundred yards from the fort. That moment decided the day. 
No h nman power could face such a death-storm, and the enemy 
suddenly fled, taking to the woods in the rear with such haste 
as allowed no time for any to gather up even the most prized 
of their goods. 

The firing ceased at a few minutes past two P. M. — the bat- 
tle having thus been waged with stubborn fierceness for over 
four hours. Discovering that the enemy had probably evac- 
uated. Commander Eodgers — aid to Flag Officer Dupont — went 
ashore in the Mercury to find the enemy really gone. With 
his own hands he hauled down the rebel colors and flung the 
Stars and Stripes to the breeze. Then followed such a shout 
from the watching thousands as must have made appalling 
music for the Southern heart. Fort Walker had fallen and 
South Carolina was " invaded." The " dastard Yankee" had 
opened a way into her very vitals. 

A reporter wrote, of the effects of the Federal bom- 
bardment : 

" The efiects of our fire were to be seen on eveiy hand in the work. 
On the line along the front, three guns were dismounted by the enfi- 
lading fire of our ships. One carriage had been struck by a large shell 
and shivered to pieces, dismounting the heavy gun mounted upon it, 
and sending the splinters flying in all directions with terrific force. 
Between the gun and the foot of the jjarapet was a large pool of blood, 
mingled with brains, fragments of skull and pieces of flesh, evidently 
from the fiace, as jDortions of whiskers still clung to it. This shot must 
have done horrible execution, as other portions of human beings were 
/.ound all about it. Another carriage to the right was broken to i^ieces, 
and the guns on the water fronts were rendered useless by the enfilading 
fire from the gunboats on the left flank. Their scorching fire of shell, 
"which swept with resistless fury and deadly cff*cct across this long 
■water pond, where the enemy had placed their heaviest metal, en har- 
iette, without taking the precaution to place traverses between the guns, 
did as much as anything to drive the rebels from their works, in the 
liurried mnnner I have before described. The works were ploughed 



236 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

up by tlie shot and sliell so badly as to make immediate repairs 
necessary. 

"All the Louses and many of tlie tents about the work were perfo- 
rated and torn by flying shell, and hardly a light of glass could be 
found intact, in any building where a shell exploded. The trees in the 
vicinity of the object of our fire, showed marks of heavy visitations. 
Everj'thing, indeed, bore the marks of ruin. No wonder, then, that the 
rebels beat a hasty retreat. I can, and do, cheerfully bear testimony 
to the gallant and courageous manner in which the rebels maintained 
their position under a liot fire, and fought at their guns when many 
•would have fled." 

Another correspondent wrote : 

" The road the rebels took was strewn for miles with muskets, knap- 
sacks, blankets, cartridge-boxes and other valuables that they had 
thrown away in their flight. They had retreated across the island to 
Seabrook, a distance of half a dozen miles, where they took boat for 
Savannah. Even the wharf at Seabrook was strewn with valuables, 
carried even so far and abandoned at the last moment. Tlie troops who 
were in charge of this fort, and who certainly fought most gallantly, 
were the Twelfth regiment of South Carolina volunteers, under Colonel 
Jones, and the Ninth South Carolina volunteers, commanded by Colo- 
nel Haywood, and a battalion of German artillery, under Colonel Wago- 
ner. They had in the fort about 1,300 men in all — enough to serve all 
the guns in the most efficient manner. They had also a field battery 
with 500 troops stationed at a point a short distance above Hilton Head, 
where they anticipated our transports would undertake to send troops 
to attempt a flank movement for the assistance of the navy. On the 
opposite side of the river they had 400 men. It cannot be denied that 
the resistance was as gallant as the final panic was complete ; but the 
hardest fighting on the rebel side was all done by the German artillery, 
they being the last to leave the fort, which they did not do until long 
after the greater part of the valiant Palmetto ' Chivalry' had taken to 
the woods to save their j^recious necks. 

" They had spiked but one gun, a most valuable rifled cannon, which 
they temjiorarily disabled witlKa steel spike, which can with difficulty 
be extracted. The other guns were, most of them, columbiads of the 
very largest size, one hundred and thirtj'-pounders, and of the most ad- 
mirable finish, being the finest and latest productions of the Tredegar 
Works, Richmond, and fully equal to any guns owned by the North. 
There were twenty-three of these guns in the fort. 

" The fortification is of most admirable construction, evidently plan« 
ned and built under the superintendence of a thoroughly able engineer, 



OF THE WAR. 237 

and is one of the strongest works of the kind in the whole country. 
Our losses were : ten killed ; twenty-five wounded." 

As was anticipated, tlie fate of Fort Walker decided that of 
the opposite fortifications. Tlie two batteries were that night 
abandoned without further struggle, and at daylight in the 
morning the Stars and Stripes floated over both the two points 
and St. Philip's Island. The works there were two well-con- 
structed earth-works, the one on Bay Point mounting twenty- 
one heavy columbiads, and the other mounting four co- 
lumbiads. 

It was a noticeable fact, that the large store of powder found 
was of the best English make — that many of the projectiles 
were of English make — that several of the rifled guns were of 
English manufacture. 

The abandoned fort and adjacent islands were immediately 
occupied by the troops on the transports. The islands and 
forts on the north side of the harbor were occupied Friday 
morning. In a few days Beaufort was a Federal city, and the 
Sea Islands around were soon sending their treasures of cotton 
once more to the " outer world." 



XXIII. 



INCIDENTS OF THE CAPTURE OF THE PORT 
ROYAL FORTS. 

General Drayton, the rebel officer in command at Fort 
Walker, was brother of Captain Drayton, in command of the 
Pocahontas^ gunboat. The case certainly afforded a painful 
verification of the truth that, in the war, " brother was arrayed 



2S8 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

against brotlier."* Captain Steedman, of tlie Bienvilk, gunboat, 
Y^as a South Carolinian. Ho fought his vessel with remark- 
able skill and fury, as did also Captain Drayton the Pocahontas. 

After the ships had made one round, and sniled their fiery 
sircle once, the order of battle was changed ; certain ones of 
Ihe gunboats dropped oat of their assigned places, having dis- 
covered that they could take up a raking position which would 
enable them to remain stationary, and still Iceep up a rapid 
and galling fire on the fort. So, henceforth, the other attack- 
ing ships moved in a single line, the Wabash still leading. 

Four of the gunboats ran into the bight of the river, to the 
north of the Fort, where they were enabled to keep np an 
enfilading fire, that completely raked the entire fortifications 
of Fort Walker, and distressed the enemy exceedingly. These 
gunboats were the Ottawa, Curlew, Seneca, and Unaclilla. They 
were afterward joined by the Pocahontas. 

"Very many of the shot from the shore batteries were aimed 
high, especially at the Bienville, and other steamers having the 
walking-beam of the engine high above the deck, the object 
being to cripple the engine, and thus render the vessel un- 
manageable, so that she might drift on the shoals and become 
an easy prey. In these attempts they were not successful in 
a single instance, for not one of our ships, save the Penguin, 
which was immediately taken care of b}^ one of our own boats, 
was injured in her steam works, so as to be disabled for a 
single instant. 

The rebels regarded the destruction of the fleet as certain — 
their powerful guns being relied upon to sink any hull which 
should come in their way. In some of the letters found, half 
finished, in the officers' quarters, the utter destruction of the 
entire expedition was considered so positively assured, and 
their belief in the ability of their batteries to put an effectual 
quietus upon the pretentions of Lincoln's fleet was so perfect, 
that, in one or two of the documents, the writers lamented the 

♦ Among other cases cited, is that of the sons of the venerable John 
J. Crittenden. One was a Major-General in the rebel service — the other 
vas Brigadier-General in the Union army. 



OFTHEWAR. 239 

necessity tliej should be under of sending tlie ships to the 
bottom, when the Confederates were so much in need of ships. 
It was taken for gi'anted that the tremendous execution to be 
done by their heavy guns, would perforate the hulls of our 
ships, and send them instantly to the bottom. Having this 
confident expectation, the rebels looked eagerly after every 
fire to see some of our ships go down. They especially con- 
centrated their guns on the Wahash, and, as the prisoners 
afterward informed our men, were much surprised that she 
persisted in remaining afloat. When the ships had all passed 
their battery in safety for the first time, had " peppered them 
well," and had all escaped without apparent injury^ the aston- 
ishment was great, and the universal impression began to 
prevail that there was some mistake. 

For the second time the fleet came steaming down ; for the 
second time the Federals poured in their terrible fire, dis- 
mantling guns, shattering buildings, and stretching in deatli 
numbers of men ; and for the second time the fleet passed on 
in safety, showing not the slightest sign of any intention of 
going to the bottom. 

By this time, a new element began to mingle with the feel- 
ings of the rebel garrison. With astonishment and wonder 
that they had not 3^et sunk any of "the opposing vessels, began 
to mingle a large, a very large proportion, of doubt whether 
they could do it. 

Without pajdng more attention to the barking of the battery 
at Fort Beauregard, on Bay Point, than to pitch them an occa- 
sional shot, merel}'' to let them know they were not forgotten, 
for the third time the ships rounded their circular track, and 
came slowly down to pay their respects again. Again was 
the whole fire of the fort concentrated on the Wahash, and 
afterward, in turn, on each one of the vessels, as tliey passed, 
in a fiery procession, before the shore, delivering with the 
utmost coolness and the most exact precision, their murderous 
fire, running even nearer than before, firing more effectually 
than ever, yet again steaming away unharmed, and turning 
the point for still another round. 
81 



240 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The utmost consternation now took full possession of the 
rebels, and, in an uncontrollable panic, they fled with precipi- | 

tation. The panic at Bull Run was not more complete ; ' 

indeed, not half so much so, for the rebels in their mortal 
terror ran for the woods without stopping for anything what- 
ever. The left in their tents hundreds of dollars of money, 
gold watches, costly swords, and other valuables, showing that 
their fear was uncontrollable and complete. 

The flight, observed first from the little gunboat Mercury^ 
was communicated by her to the flag-ship, and then was imme- 
diately telegraped to all the fleet. 

When our men took possession on Bay Point, they discov- 
ered a characteristic trick of the enemy, which most luckily 
failed to succeed. The Secession flag was hauled partly down, 
and the halyards w^ere connected with an ingenious percussion- 
cap apparatus, so arranged that the complete hauling down of 
the flag would explode the cap, which was intended to ignite 
a train of powder connected with the powder magazina By, 
some unforeseen accident, a quantity of sand was thrown over 
part of the train of powder, so that although the cap exploded 
and fired a part of the powder, and blew up a neighboring 
house, it did not communicate with the magazine, and little 
harm was done. 

The Wabash fired, during the entire action, nine hundred 
shots, being all eight, nine, ten, and eleven-inch shells, with 
the exception of a few rifled-cannon projectiles of a new pat- 
tern, and which were used simply as a matter of experiment 
The Susquehanna fired five hundred shots, the Bienville one 
hundred and eighty-five, and the average of the gunboats and 
the other smaller ships may probably be set down at one hun- 
dred and fifty each. There were, in all, sixteen vessels 
engaged on our side, and, probably, from all of them were fired 
not far from 3,500 shot and shell at the two forts. Walker and 
Beauregard, the four-gun battery, and Tatnall's, and the three . 
steamers. 

On almost every vessel, after the fight, the men were called 
aft and publicly thanked by their respective Captains. On the ' 



V 



OF THE WAR. ^ 241 

Bienville, particular mention was made and special thanks 
returned, in presence of the ship's company, to William Henry 
Steele, a boy not fourteen years old, who conducted himself 
with distinguished bravery. He was powder-boy ; and not 
only never flinched nor dodged a shot, but when two men 
were killed at his gun, he did not turn pale, nor ce..se, for an 
instant, his duties, but handed the cartridge he had in hand to 
the gunner, stepped carefully over the bodies, and hastened 
below for more ammunition. 

Thomas Jackson, coxswain of the Wabash, was struck by a 
shot, which so nearly cut his leg off as to leave it hanging by 
a small portion of thernuscle and skin. Partially rising and 
leaning painfully against a gun, Jackson glanced at his mangled 
limb, and, in an instant perceived its helpless condition. Feel- 
ing behind his back in his belt, where seamen always cany 
their knives, he drew his sheath-knife from its leathern scab- 
bard, and deliberately began to saw away at his leg. He was 
borne below by his mates ; and afterward asked continually 
how the fight was going, saying, " I hope we'll win it, I hope 
we'll win." In two hours he died ; his last words being a 
wish for victory, and a word of thanks that he had been able 
to do something for the honor of the " dear old flag." 

The Wahash was struck thirty-five times. One shot below 
the water-line started a bad leak. Another almost cut away 
the mainmast. Her rigging w^as badly cut up. Her handling 
wan very effective. She was, at no time, in a position to be 
railed by the enemy's guns. She escaped with remarkable 
good fortune, considering that, as the flag-ship, she was the 
enemy's special target 

The Bienville was particularly exposed — having approached 
nearer the shore than any other vessel. But five shots struck 
hcT, and only one doing any serious injury. One columbiad 
so'id shot struck her on the starboard bow, killing two and 
wounding three of her crew. 

The Penguin was struck in her steam-chest, but no person 
^f \s injured by the escaping steam. She was immediately 
V y^ed out of action by the Isaac Smith tug-boat, which, though 



242 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

not a figlitcr, was everj'wliere in the midst of shot and shell, 
ready for towing off any disabled ship. 

The Pawnee was struck nine times. The Moln'can also 
received a number of shots. These two were tlie most cut-up 
of any of the smaller vessels of the fleet. The OUaica, Seneca, 
Vandalia, Seminole, SusqueJianna, Pocahontas, and Atirjusta, all 
were several times hit, but none were disabled. Tliis apparent 
lack of execution, when the shots so many times struck the 
vessels, arises from the fact that, either the rebels aimed high, 
for the purpose of breaking the walking-beams, and so crip- 
pling the engines of such of our vessels as could thus be dis- 
abled; or not deeming it possible that we would have the 
temerity to engage them at six hundred yards instead of two 
or three miles, the guns were all sighted for the longest range, 
and they consequently carried over, and clear of the hulls of 
our ships, and. only cut the upper rigging. 
. The enemy left Fort Walker so hurriedly that their private 
effects, indeed, everything were wholly abandoned. The 
Federal troops found everything just as they left them. Din- 
ner tables were set, and good food ready for the hungry 
fighters. The amount of stuff found was astonishing. All was 
taken possession of by our forces, and, with the exception of a 
few articles taken as mementoes of the occasion, everything 
was turned over to the proper officers. Quite a number of 
elegant swords and pistols, saddles, etc., were found, and dis- 
tributed among the deserving. 

The appearance of the old flag on the Game Cock State was 
hailed by enthusiastic cheers from the men of war, and caught 
up by the transports. Cheer after cheer went round the har- 
bor, bands pla}' ed patriotic tunes, and every one felt most gay 
and festive. The effect on the men when the flag^waved aloft, 
was differently and curiously manifested. Some cheered 
lustil}^, while others were choked with their emotions. Some 
wept with jo}^, the tears rolling down their cheeks as large as 
peas, whilst others were much excited at once more seeing the 
colors of the Federal Union waving over South Carolina's 
traitorous soil. 



XXIV. 



THE FALL OF FORTS nENRY AN"D DOXELSOX 

The sudden cliangc of programme in the conduct of the war 
in the West during February was owing to the line stage of 
water in the rivers and to the proven efficiency of the gun- 
boats. Anticipating an advance up the Cumberland and Ten- 
nessee rivers the C<jnfederates had erected two strong fortifica- 
tions near the Tennessee line — Fort Henry on the Tennessee 
river and Fort Donelson, a powerful defense, on the Cumber- 
land, near Dover. Tlicse structures w^'e well constructed, 
mounted heavy and numerous guns, were well flanked by rifle 
pits, and, beside their regular garrison, had heavy supporting 
field foi-ces constantly within reach. It was their powerful 
character which induced Grant to desist from his first essay up 
the Tennessee. 

A movement against them, if successful, would at once 
force the rebel lines of defense far to the South, and render 
Bowling Green and Nashville an easy conquest. Whether 
to General Ilallcck, Connnodore Foote, General Grant, or Mr. 
Lincoln belongs the credit of first conceiving the campaign, 
we do not know. That it was well planned and brilliantly 
executed, the history of the war proves. 

An order (Februaiy 1st) promulgated by General Grant, 
placed his forces on a footing of active service. It was as 
follows : 

" Head-quakters Distkict of Cairo, ) 
Cairo. Feb. 1st, 1SG2. j 
" For temporary government the forces of this military district will be divided 
and commanded as follows, to wit : 



244 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"The First brigade will consist of the Eighth, Eighteenth, Twenty-seventh 
Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first regiments of Illinois Volunteers, Schwartz's 
and Dresser's batteries, and Stewart's, Dollin's, O'llarnet's, and Carmichaers 
cavalry. Colonel R. J. Oglesby, senior Colonel of the brigade, comminding. 

" The Second brigade will consist of the Eleventh, Twentieth, Forty-fifth and Forty- 
eighth Illinois infantry, Fourth Illinois cavalry, Taylor's and McAllister's artillery. 
(The latter with four siege guns) Colonel W. H. L. Wallace conimandimg. 

" The First and Second brigades will constitute the first division of the district of 
Cairo, and will be commanded by Brigadier General John A. McClernand. 

" The Third brigade will consist of the Eighth Wisconsin, Forty-ninth Illinois 
Twenty-fifth Indiana, four companies of artillery, and such troops as are yet to 
arrive, Brigadier General E. A. Paine commanding. 

" Tlie Fourth brigade will be composed of the Tenth, Sixteenth, Twenty-second, 
and Thirty-third Illinois and the Tenth Iowa infantry ; Houtaling's battery of light 
artillery, four companies of the Seventh and two companies of the First Illinois 
cavalry; Colonel Morgan commanding-. 

- " General E. A. Paine is assigned to the command at Cairo and Mound City, and 
Colonel Morgan to the command at Bird's Point. By order of 

" U. S. GRANT, Brigadier General Commanding. 

" Jxo. A. RAWLrNS, Assistant ^Adjutant-General." 

The advance — McClernancl's two brigades — from Cairo, 
commenced by transports, February 3d, passing directly up 
the Tennessee river, and disembarking on the 4th four miles 
north of Fort Henry. The iron-clad gunboats of Commodore 
Foote's fleet were already there. Upon the arrival of the 
troops three of the boats steamed up to reconnoiter and "feel 
of" the batteries. The enemy gave them a warm reception, 
fally showing his position and force. Eeenforcements pressed 
up almost hourly from below, until Grant's force, by February 
6th, w\as equal to any emergency. February 6th the General 
returned from the advance to Paducah to bring up General 
Smith's division, then at -that point, 7000 strong. These all 
debarked at a favorable point, on the 6th, near the Fort. 

But the activity of Foote anticipated the slower movements 
of the army. He steamed up, February 6th, passing around 
Painter's Creek Island — which lay over on the west side of 
the Tennessee, directly in front of Fort Henry. The enemy had 
neglected to obstruct that passage. 

The boats emerged above the Fort, only one mile away, hav- 
ing the stream in their favor. The gunboat Cincinnati, (the 
" flag ship,") Commodore Foote on board, opened the fight, 



OF THE WAR. 245 

slowly advancing directly down upon the fort, followed by the 
St. Louis, Carondelet, Essex, Conestoga and Lexington. The 
Fort replied with a furious and well served fire from heavy 
gans. The boats floated down until within three hundred 
yards of the enemy's embrazures, when headway was stopped 
and a close quarter action ordered. The fire was perfectly 
appalling for a few minutes succeeding, when at 1.40 the ene- 
my's flag struck and the Fort was won. Its commander, Gen- 
eral Lloyd Tilghman of Kentucky, (formerly of the United 
States Army,) surrendered unconditionally, with his staff and 
artillerists, (sixty.) The rebel infantry encamped near the 
Fort fled at the first fire, abandoning even their dinner — leav- 
ing Tilghman to do his work alone. The rebels also had 
three gunboats which flod hastily up the river. The Fort 
mounted seventeen guns — most of them thirty-two and thirty- 
four-pounders rifled, and one, a superb ten-inch columbiad. 
The rebel loss was five killed and ten badly wounded. Why 
Tilghman surrendered, with only two guns disabled, our forces 
could not see. Commodore Foote received his sword, when 
General Tilghman said : " I am glad to surrender to so gallant 
an officer." Foote's notable reply was : " You do perfectly 
right, sir, in surrendering ; but you should have blown my 
boats out of the water before I would have surrendered 
to you !" 

The Cincinnati was hit by thirty-one shots — some of them 
passing through her. The Essex was disabled by a heavy 
ball, which entered her side forward port, cut through the 
bulkhead and squarely through one of her boilers. The 
escaping steam scalded to death the two pilots in the house 
above and injured more or less all on board, including Com- 
mander Porter. His aid, S. B. Brittan, was killed at his side 
by a shot. The Essex, after the disaster, was allowed to float 
down stream beyond the range of the guns. Her loss was six 
killed, seventeen wounded, and five missing. 

Grant's forces were in the Fort one half hour after its sur- 
render. A delay of the attack by the gunboats until Grant 
could have invested the place, doubtless would have given 



246 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the Union army the entire force of rebel infantry wLieli so 
hastily fled across to Fort Donelson. 

This capture opened tlie way for an immediate descent on 
Fort Donelson. The pursuit of the retreating forces wag 
rapid, and resulted in the capture of eight brass guns and 
thirty-three prisoners. Three gunboats pushed on up the 
river disabling the railway bridge across the Tennessee and 
Danville, and securing considerable quanty of commissary 
stores, wagons and army supplies found at the bridge. The 
entire property secured by the day's work was valued at about 
two hundred thousand dollars. The gunboats returned on 
the 10th, having succeeded in reconnoitering as far up as 
Florence, and in capturing and destroying a number of steam- 
ers used by the enemy as transports. 

The rebels hastened to reenforce Fort Donelson. Generals 
Pillow, Floyd and Bucknerwere all therewith their respective 
brigades, besides the regular garrison of the fortress, composed 
of artillerists from Columbus and the Mississippi river forts 
below. Outlying fortifications were thrown up, and rifle j)it3 
thrown out flank and rear. With this force and disposition 
it became evident that the reduction of the Fort would be a 
bloody affair, at best. 

Commodore Foote with five boats started down the Tennes- 
see immediately after the capture of Fort Henry, proceeding 
to Cairo to recruit and repair damages. On the night of 
February 11th he started for the Cumberland river. 

The investment of Fort Donelson was complete by the 12th 
— McClernand's division having the Federal right wing and 
General Smith's the left, while Foote's gunboats commanded 
the river and assaulted the works from the front. The pow- 
erful river batteries were his chief point of attack. Six gun- 
boats went into the fight February 14th before three P. M., 
the flag boat St. Louis leading. A severe contest followed of 
an hour and a half duration — the enemy using every possible 
exertion to overcome their water antagonists. They Avere so 
far successful as to shoot away the wheel of the St. Louis and 
the rudder of the Louisville, while all the boats were riddled 



OF THE WAR. 247 

with shot. The SL Low's alone received fifty solid bdls in 
and through her mail and upperworks. The fii-ing of the ves- 
sels was fearfully destructive — much of the time some of the 
boats being within four hundred yards of the batteries. The 
enemy were completely driven from most of the guns, but 
three guns kept up the contest bravely so long as the iron- 
clads were within range. Fifty-four men were killed and 
wounded on the boats. The enemy's loss was not ascertained. 
The Ti/ler and Conestoga (not iron-clad) were disabled early in 
the fight. 

Fort Donelson was thus described by one on the ground : ' 
" This Fort takes its name from the Andrew Jackson Donelson 
family of Tennessee. Its construction was commenced in Ma,y 
last. No better position for defense could have been selected 
at any point on the Cumberland as yet passed by us. It is 
on a fine slope a hundred and fifty feet high, in a very slight 
bend, on the right hand side of the Cumberland, one hundred 
and seven miles from the mouth of the river, and nearly two 
hundred from Cairo. It mounts sixteen guns. There are 
three batteries — the first about twenty feet above the water, 
consisting of six guns, thirty-two and sixty-four-pounders ; the 
second about equal in strength, located about sixty feet above 
this ; and the third on the summit of the hill, mounting four 
one hundred and twenty-eight-pounders. The trenches in the 
vicinity of each battery are unusually deep. The earth works 
are not less than six feet thick, braced by heavy logs. Tho 
rebel camp is behind the hill, and cannot be reached from the 
gunboats by shot or shell." 

The gunboats having been disabled, General Grant resolved 
not to a^^'ait their repair, an4 prepared at once to assault and 
reduce the rebel stronghold. His army was rapidly strength- 
ened by five detachments from General Hunter's (Kansas) 
Department, and by all the available regiments of the Western 
States. The investment of the fort was completed by assign- 
ing the Federal center to General Lew Wallace's division. 

The gunboats withdrew Friday afternoon, (14th.) That 
night was spent in getting the brigades in position. Early on 
82 



243 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Saturday morning (15tli) the enemy opened on tlie Federal 
right (McClernand's division) by a sharp fire on Colonel Law- 
less Eighteenth Illinois regiment. All of Ogleby's brigade 
was quickly engaged. The brigades of Wallace and McAr- 
thur soon came into the fight, which, by ten o'clock, became 
very furious. General Wallace sent four regiments to McCler- 
nand's support, viz. : the Seventeenth and Twenty-fifth Ken 
tucky and Thirty-first Indiana, with the Forty-fourth Indiana 
as a reserve. 

The troops on the right were disposed as follows : First, 
McArthur's brigade, consisting of the Ninth, Twelfth and 
Forty-first Illinois, having temporarily attached the Seven- 
teenth and Nineteenth Illinois. Next came Ogleby's brigade, 
the Eighth, Eighteenth, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty- 
first Illinois, and Schwartz's and Dresser's batteries. Next, 
Colonel W. H. L. Wallace's brigade, the Eleventh, Twentieth, 
Forty -fifth and Forty -eighth Illinois, and Taylor's and McAl- 
ister's batteries. 

These three brigades composed McClernand's division, and 
bore the brunt of conflict. Upon that point the rebels pressed 
with the utmost tenacity, and the deeds of valor there per- 
formed by both parties form one of the most splendid, though 
bloody, records of the entire war. McClernand's men exhaust- 
ed their ammunition entirely, and, finally, were called from 
the field to recuperate and obtain reenforcements. With this 
retnrning movement a counter movement was made by the 
charge of Smith's entire division upon the enemy's works. 
The charge was so furious as to bear all before it, and Smith's 
men occupied the entire works of the rebels on the left. 
Grant announced this to McClernand, ordering his advance. 
This was then made, in a brilliant manner, and the enemy 
was forced back within his works on the Federal ric?ht. Thus 
the Union army found themselves in a position to carry the 
enemy's main work by assault, on the morning of Sunday. 

But, no such service was required of the elated and brave 
fellows whose achievements during the Saturday's contest cov- 
ered them with glory. At a veiy early hour General Simon 



OF THE WAR. 249 

Buckner, the senior rebel General in the fortification, sent out 
to obtain an armistice preliminary to arrangements of terms 
of honorable capitulation. Grant replied, that nothing but 
unconditional and immediate surrender would answer — that 
he was prepared Jbr the assault and should soon cany the 
works bj the bayonet. Grumbling at the discourtesy (!) shown 
bim, Buckner unconditionally surrendered with his force of 
nearly 15,000 men. 

Upon entering the premises it was found that Generals Pil- 
low and Floyd, ^vith their troops, had flown. During the 
night they had, at a council of war, declared their purpose to 
leave by the three steamers still at the landing above Dover. 
Pillow said he would not surrender — Floyd said it never icould 
do for him to fall into Federal hands ; and so Buckner, the 
unfortunate ex-chief of the Kentuck}^ State Guard, was forced 
to do the deed — to give up his arms and submit to the tender 
mercies of the Government which he had betrayed. The 
flight of Floyd and Pillow was the theme of much amusing 
comment by the Northern forces. The escape of the great 
'' chief of thieves" was certainl}^ greatly deplored, for if any 
rebel amiong the conspirators deserved the halter more than 
another, that man was John B. Floyd, Mr. Buchanan's Secre- 
tary of War."^ 

The armament of the Fort and water batteries consisted of 
forty-four guns, most of them of superior make and heavy 
calibre. About 17,000 stand of small arms were taken, and 
an immense amount of stores — among which were twelve 
hundred boxes of beef, showing that the rebels had resolved 
to stand a siege before giving up. Floyd's and Pillow's men, 
in crossing the river, pitched all superfluous arms and baggage 
into the streanx A Louisiana cavalry company made its way, 
during the darkness, up the river, and thus escaped. Pillow 
and Floyd made direct for Clarksville. 

* This surrender was tlie occasion of a pretty sliarp correspondence 
among the Confederates ; and Johnson had to " explain" to his govern- 
ment. Buckner felt that he w/is made the scape-goat for greater roguea 
than himself. 



250 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The correspondence between Backncr and Grant was ratlier 
humorous than otherwise. It read as follows : 

Headquarters, Fort Dokklson, Feb. IG, 1863. 
Bin : In consideration of all the circumstances governing the pres- 
ent situation of affairs at this station, I propose to the commanding 
officer of the Federal forces, the appointment of Commissioners to ar- 
gue upon terms of capitulation of the forces at this post under my 
command. In that view I suggest an armistice until twelve o'clock 
to-day. I am, very respectfullj-, your obedient servant, 

S. B. BUCKNER, Brigadier-General, C. S. A. 
To Brigadier-General U. S. Grant, commanding U. S. forces, near 
Fort Donelson, 

Headquarters on the Field, Fort Donelson, Feb. 16, '63. 
To General S. B. Buckner — Sir : Yours of this date, proposing an 
armistice and the apjjointment of Commissioners to settle on the terms 
of capitulation, is just received. No terms, except unconditional and 
immediate surrender, can be accepted. I propose to move immedi- 
ately ou your -works. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
U. S. GRANT, Brigadier-General Commanding. 

Headqua.rters, Dover, Tenn., Feb. 16. 18G3. 
Brigadier-General U. S. Grant, U. S. A. — Sir : The distribution of 
the forces under my command, incident to an unexpected change of 
commanders, and the overwhelming force under your command, com. 
pel me, notwithstanding the brilliant success of the Confederate arms, 
to accept the ungenerous and unchivalrous terms which you propose. 
I am, sir, your servant, S. B. BUCKNER, Brig. Gen. C. S. A. 

"Ungenerous and unchivalrous terms whicli you pro- 
pose! ' Injured gentleman! lie doubtless expected to 
have General Grant give him a hoi-se and escort to the near- 
est rebel stronghold — to have his men supplied with a half- 
eagle each and rations for three days, with sundry other 
comforts, to enable them to fiLiht somewhere else ! It took 
a good many reverses^ to teach the insolent, unprincipled 
and ungenerous men, who wore Confederate epaulettes, that 
the North and Northern soldicrs'were no longer their hum- 
ble servants, but their superiors in good manners as well as 
in arms. 



OF THE WAR. 251 

As was expected, these rapid strokes of the Union armj 
astounded and disconcerted the enemy. His boasted strong- 
holds at Bowling Green and Columbus were quickly aban- 
doned ; Clarksville was soon deserted, and Nashville tempo- 
rarily occupied by the fast retreating rebels. But the opera- 
tions of the gunboats on the Tennessee river promised to cut 
off retreat by the South, and Kashville was therefore soon 
given up without a struggle — the enemy falling back upon 
Murfreesboro', then upon Chattanooga, and finally upon 
Corinth, where Johnston and Beauregard determined to await 
the shock of the combined Federal armies, and thus decide 
the fate of the Mississippi Valley. 

"While all these splendid victories illumined the Western 
sk}', in the Eastern, where the vast "Army of the Potomac" 
bivouacked, there was nothing to arrest attention but a 
" change of base," whose story forms one of the most dis- 
couraging chapters of the war. It was not until Western 
men got command of that army that its record became one 
of glory. Then, indeed, it covered itself with honor ! 



-»**0»«^ 



XXV. 

THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING. 

PRESSED out of Kentucky by the flank movements up the 
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, the rebels fell back upon 
Clarksville, deserting their boasted stronghold at Bowling 
Green, and, soon after, their reputed "Gibraltar," at Columbus 
— all without a musket beino; fired arainst ihem. The fall of 
Donelson compelled Johnston to recedeto Nashville ; and, from 
thence, to the South, as rapidly as was consistent with the 
Southern idea of " retirinf?." Bnell came down with his well- 
organized divisions, occupying Nasliville, and preparing to 



252 INCIDEKTS AND ANECDOTES 

move from tlience down upon the enemy, wlierever lie was to 
be found. Thomas' fine division was recalled from its work 
■upon East Tennessee (alas for it !) and Mitchell was drawn 
from Bowling Green. Andrew Johnson was instated as Mili- 
tary Governor of Tennessee. Grant moved forward from 
Donelson direct to the South, by the Tennessee river, design- 
ing to strike into Northern Alabama and Mississippi, and break 
the railroad connections with Memphis and the East. This 
would flank and turn Memphis, compelling its evacuation, 
while the very centres of the Cotton States would be open to 
invasion. 

In order to counteract this invasion, which promised to 
swoop up the Confederacy with a grand completeness, the 
rebels bent their whole energies to oppose the progress of the 
Federal army. General A. Sidney Johnston, as Commander- 
in-Chief, and Beauregard, as second in command, called to 
their aid the redoubtable General Bragg, with his well-drilled 
army, from. Pensacola ; Price and Van Dorn, with their wild 
brigades from Arkansas and Texas ; Breckenridge, with his 
well-ordered brigades of recusant Tennesseans and Kentuck- 
ians ; Pillow and Floyd with their forces of Mississippi ans and 
Virginians ; Cheatham and the Eeverend General Polk, with 
their well-drilled brigades from the line of the Mississippi, 
Hardee, Hindman, and others, were also detailed to the rebel 
lines, which were centered around Corinth, Mississippi. To 
fill up the ranks to a number equal to the work in hand of 
staying the Federal progress, a conscription was enforced,, by 
which great numbers of those who had not borne arms against 
the Union, were forced into the service. Corinth was foi-tified. 
Memphis was strengthened by the strengthening of the de- 
fences above it. Every appearance seemed to indicate that 
the decisive struggle for the possession of the Mississippi 
Valley was at hand. 

The Federal Government appreciating the greatness of the 

emergency, prepared for it by ordering Buell to join Grant at 

^ Savannah, thence to move direct against Corinth, while the 

indefatigable Mitchell " sky-rocketted" down upon Huntsville, 



OF THE -WAR. 253 

Decatur, etc., to cut off the railway and river communication 
with the East. Halleck was given the command in chief of 
the combined forces — thus to bring all the Federal military 
resources in the West to the work in hand. 

It was not until late in March that Buell's divisions began 
to move out of Nashville toward Savannah and Pittsburgh. 
Landmg, on the Tennessee river — there to join Grant's forces, 
already on the ground, for the advance against Corinth. 
Buell's forces consisted of tlie superbly-equipped divisions of 
Nelson, Thomas, Wood, McCook, Negeley and Crittenden — 
Mitchell going South toward Huntsville, by way of Murfrees- 
boro' and Fayetteville. Grant's forces comprised the divisions 
of McClernand, Lew Wallace, W. H. L. Wallace, Prentiss, 
Hurlburt, and W. T. Sherman, with most ample equipments, 
artillery, etc. All of these forces were Western men — there 
being not a single regiment in that combined army from East 
of the Alleghanies. 

To prevent the unity of the forces of Grant and Buell was. 
the suddenly conceived design of Johnston. With the usual 
success, the rebel commander ascertained the plans and dispo- 
sition of the Federals, and prepared to strike a blow at once 
on Grant's divisions, advanced to Pittsburgh Landing and 
located in a semi-circle around the landing, as a centre. If 
Grant could be beaten back before Buell could reinforce him, 
the rebels were sure of being able then to overmatch Buell ; 
and, if he was forced back, the way w^as again oj^ened to 
recover the ground lost in Tennessee and Kentucky. Immense 
forces, a steady hand, a daring will might accomplish all, and 
these Johnston had. 

Grant, advancing his forces over the Tennessee, only 
awaited the coming np of Buell's divisions to assail the enemy 
intrenched at Corinth. Sherman's division had the extreme 
advance, left wing, supported by General Prentiss ; McCler- 
nand held the left centre ; W. H. L. Wallace (commanding 
General Smith's forces) held the left right ; Ilurlburt's fine 
brigades formed the reserve ; General Lew Wallace's division 



254 I^^'CIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

was stationed at Crump's Landing, forming tlie Federal ex- 
treme rio'lit wins;. 

The skirmishes of Friday and Saturda_y (April 4tli and 5tli) 
chiefly with the enemy's cavalry, kept Sherman's men on the 
alert. Fi'iday the Federal pickets were driven in on the main 
line of the division, with a loss of one Lieutenant and seven 
men, when Sherman ordered a cliarge. The rebel cavalry 
were, in turn, driven live miles, with no small loss. Saturday 
the rebels again made a bold push at tlie lines, in considerable 
force, and retired after a warm reception. These advances 
were but reconnoissanccs to test the Federal spirit and to locate 
his lines. 

Tlie pickets were again driven in at an early hour on the 
morning of Sunday (April 6th) — a day the rebels always 
seemed to choose for fight when the choice lay with them. 
Sherman immediately ordered his entire division to arms, as, 
also, did Prentiss his division — both commanders, it is ascer- 
tained, being suspicious of the impending attempt of the 
enemy, in force. The troops stood under arms for an hour, 
when, no heavy firing occurring, the General and his staff rode 
to the front. The enemy's sharpshooters picked off Sherman's 
orderly, standing near the General. This shot, and others 
which rapidly followed, came from a thicket lining a small 
stream, flowing north into the Tennessee. Along this stream 
Sherman's line was stretched. Sherman observed that, in the 
valley before him, the enemy was forming. He said, in his 
report : 

" About eight A. M., I saw the glistening bayonets of heavy 
masses of infantry to our left front, in the woods beyond the 
small stream alluded to, and became satisfied for the first time 
that the enemy designed a determined attack on our whole 
camp. All the regiments of my division were then in line of 
battle at their proper posts. I rode to Colonel Appier and 
ordered him to hold his ground at all hazards, as he held the 
left flank of our first line of battle, and I informed him that he 
had a good battery on his right and strong supports to his 



OF THE "WAE. 255 

rear. General McClernand had promptly and energetically 
respoiided to njy request, and had sent me three regiments 
which were posted to protect Waterhouse's battery and the 
left flank of my line." 

This shows that there was no surprise. McClernand wa3 
informed, as early as half-past six, of the enemy's presence, 
and had placed his troops in order of battle. The same with 
Prentiss and Ilurlburt — both of whom were ready before the 
assault on Slicrman's front. 

It would be impossible, in the space of even a lengthy chap- 
ter, to detail the movements and events which followed on 
that most momentous da}^. A book alone would suffice to tell 
the story in detail.'-* The first news dispatched of the battles 
which reached the North, gave a graj)hic, and, in the main, 
a correct description of the two days' struggle. It, we may 
quote : 

" Pittsburg, via Fort IIexrt, April 9tli, 3:20 a. m. 

*' One of tlic greatest and bloodiest battles of modern days has just 
closed, resulting in the complete rout of tlic enemy, ^vho attacked us at 
daybreak, Sunday morning. 

" The battle lasted without intermission during the entire day, and 
was again renewed on Monday morning, and continued undecided 
until four o'clock in the afternoon, Avhen the enemy commenced their 
retreat, and arc still flying toward Corinth, pursued by a large force of 
our cavalry. 

" The slaughter on both sides is immense. 

" The fight was brought on by a body of three hundred of the Twen- 
ty-fifth Missouri regiment, of General Prentiss' division, attacking the 
advance guard of the rebels, which W'Crc supposed to be the pickets of 
the enemy, in front of our camps. The rebels immediately advanced 
on General Prentiss'' division on the left wiug,t pouring volley after 
volley of musketry, and riddling our camps with grape, canister and 
fhcll. Our forces soon formed into line, and returned their fire vigo- 



* See " Pittsburgh Landing and the Investment of Coi-intli," in 
Beadle's series of " American Battles," — where a 12mo. of 100 pages, is 
devoted to the subject. 

t This account, in common with most all others made by newsi^aiaer 
reporters, Avas incorrect in the particulars of the enemy's first advance. 
The reader will find the correct statement of the first assault given in 
our own version above. » 

33 



256 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

rously ; but by the time we were prepared to receive them, they Lad 
turned their heaviest fire on the left center, Sherman's division, and 
drove our men back from their camps, and bringing up a fresh force, 
opened fire on our left wing, under General McCIernand^ This fire was 
returned with terrible efi'ect and determined spirit ]iy both infantry and 
artillery along the whole line, for a distance of over four miles. 

" General Ilurlburt's division was thrown forward to support the 
center, when a desj^erate conflict ensued. The rebels were driven back 
with terrible slaughter, but soon rallied and drove back our men in 
turn. From about nine o'clock, the time your correspondent arriTRd 
on the field, until night closed on the bloody scene, there was no deter- 
mination of the result of the struggle. The rebel regiments exhibited 
remarkably good generalship. At times engaging the left with aj'ipa- 
rently their whole strength, they would suddenly open a terrible and 
destructive fire on the right or center. Even our heaviest and most 
destructive fire ui^on the enemy did not aj^pear to discourage their 
solid columns. The fire of Major Taylor's Chicago artillery raked them 
down in scores, but the smoke would no sooner be disx^ersed than the 
breach would again be filled. 

" The most desperate fighting took place late in the afternoon. The 
rebels knew that if they did not succeed in whipping us then, that their 
chances for success would be extremely doubtful, as a portion of General 
Buell's forces had by this time arrived on the opjjosite side of the river, 
and another portion was coming up the river from Savannah. They be- 
came aware that we were being reenforced, as they could see General 
Buell's trooi3s from the river-bank, a short distance above us on the left, 
to which point they had forced their way. 

"At five o' clock the rebels had forced our left wing back so as to oc- 
cupy fully two-thirds of our camp, and were fighting their way forward 
with a desperate degree of confidence in their elforts to drive us into the 
river, and at the same time heavily engaged our right. 

" Up to this time we had received no reenforcements. General Lew. 
"Wallace failed to come to our support until the day« was over, having 
taken the wrong road from Crump's Landing, and being without other 
transports than those used for Quartermasters' and Commissary stores, 
which were too heavily laden to ferry any considerable number of General 
Buell's forces across the river, those that were here having been sent to 
bring up the troops from Savannah. "We were, therefore, contesting 
against fearful odds, our force not exceeding thirty-eight thousand men, 
while that of the enemy was ujiward of sixty thousand. 

" Our condition at this moment was extremely critical. Large num- 
bers of mon panic-stricken, others worn out by hard fighting, with the 
average percentage of skulkers, had struggled toward the river, and could 



OF THE WAR. 257 

not be rallied. General Grant and staff, who had been recklessly riding 
along the lines during the entire day, amid the unceasing storm of bullets, 
grape and shell, now rode from right to left, inciting the men to stand 
firm until our reenforcemeuts could cross the river. 

" Colonel Webster, Chief of staff, immediately got into position the 
lieaviest pieces of artillery, pointing on tlie enemy's right, while a large 
number of the batteries were planted along the entire line, from the 
river-bank north-west to our extreme right, some two and a half miles 
distant. About an hour before dusk a general cannonading was open- 
ed upon the enemy from along our whole line, with a perpetual crack of 
musketry. Such a roar of artillery was never heard on this continent. 
For a short time the rebels replied Avitli vigor and effect, but their 
return shots grew less frequent and destructive, while ©urs grew more 
rapid and more terrible. 

" The gunboats Lexington sindTyler^ which lay a short distance off, kepl^^ 
raining shell on the rebel hordes. This last effort was too much for the 
enemy, and, ere dusk had set in, the firing had nearly ceased, when 
night coming on all the combatants rested from their awful work of 
blood and carnage." 

Then followed a list of the leading officers known to have 
been killed or wounded. It was meager, but gave names 
tsnough to plunge the country into mourning. Over Congress 
it threw a shadow which was betokened by the silence reign- 
ing in the halls after the news was received. That splendid 
army of the Union comprised some of the country's bravest 
spirits among its commanders, and all dreaded to read the lists 
which were hourly looked for after the receipt of the first 
news. The dispatch added : " There has never been a parallel 
to the gallantry and bearing of our officers, from the com- 
manding General to the lowest officer. General Grant and 
staff" were in the field, riding along the lines in the thickest of 
the enemy's fire during the entire two days of the battle, and 
all slept on the ground Sunday night, during a heavy rain. 
On several occasions General Grant got within range of the 
enemy's guns, and was discovered and fired upon. Lieutenant- 
Colonel McPherson had his horse shot from under hiiti when 
alongside of General Grant. General Sherman had two horses 
killed under him, and General McClernand shared like dan- 
gers ; also General Hurlburt, each of whom received bullet- 



253 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

holes tlirouGfli tlieir clothes. General Bucll remnined with hia 

O 

troops daring the entire second da}', and with General Critten- 
den and General Nelson, rode continually along tlic lines en- 
couraging the men." 

This refers specially to the first day's battle which closed, 
leaving the enemy in the camps dicld in the morning by the 
Federal troo|)s. No wonder that Beauregard — Johnston being 
among the enemy's fearful list of slain — telegraphed a victory 
to the Confederate arms. To have given the Federal advance 
a staggering blow — to be permitted to feast his half-fed troops 
on Federal rations, and to rest their dirty limbs on Federal 
blankets, in Federal tents, was indeed a victory for tliem, even 
if the moiTow should find them hurled back in confusion 
upon their intrenchmeuts and reserves at Corinth.* 

The second day redeemed the disasters of the first. Buell's 
forces were marching in divisions, six miles apart. The ad- 
vance (Nelson's brigades) reached Savannah on the 5th. 
There Buell ai'rived in person, on the evening of the same 
day. Crittenden's division came in during the evening. 
Hearing the terrific cannonading, Bucll surmised its meaning 
and ordered forward Nelson's division at a quick march, with- 
out its train. Ammen's brigade arrived at the opportune mo- 
ment, when Grant's forces were being slowly but surely press- 
ed to the river's bank after their whole day's struggle. The 
fresh brigades immediately crossed and walked to the fi'ont 
This arrival gave the wearied men fresh heart, and caused the 
enemy to flill back. The residue of Nelson's division came 
up and crossed the ferrj'- early in the evening. Crittenden's 
division came on by steamers from Savannah. The batteries 
of Captains Mendenhall and Terrell, of the regular service, 
and Bartlett's Ohio battery, also came up. McCook's division, 
b}^ a forced march, arrived at Savannah during the night of 
the 6th, and pushing on immediately, reached the Landing 
early on the morning of the 7th. 

* As one of the " humors of the canii^aign," we may Dicntion that the 
Memphis Appeal cliargcd the Monday's defeat of the rebels to the whis- 
i^y found, the night lefore, in the Federal tents ! 



OF THE WAR. 259 

BueU's divisions, taking tlie Federal left wing, opened tho 
day's woi-k, soon after five o'clock, wlien Nelson's division 
moved foi-\vard upon the enemy's pickets, driving tliem in. 
The rehcl artillery opened at six o'clock on Nelson's lines. 

Grant gave the right Federal wing to General Lew Wallace's 
fine divivsion of fresh men, which had arrived at eight o'clock 
on tlie evening of Sundaj^ Sherman's broken brigades again 
nssumed the field, taking position next to Wallace. On the 
right the attack commenced early after daybreak, by Thomp- 
Bon's artillery, which opened on a rebel battery occupying a 
bluffto the front and right of Wallace's First brigade. 

The battle soon became general. The enemy, during tho 
night, had been reenforced to the utmost extent consistent 
with the safety of his defenses at Corinth, and was, therefore, 
prepared for a desj^erate conflict. It was evident, from his 
fighting that, if victory was won by the Union army, it must 
be at a fearful loss of life. But, the Federals — officers and 
men — were resolved upon victory even at a sacrifice of half 
their numbers, and they went into the fight with astonishing 
alaci'ity. 

Wallace's jiosition on the extreme right was one of great 
responsibility. But, he was the right man in the right place. 
He had for his coadjutor the really unconquerable Sherman, 
tvliose skeleton of a division was then as ready for the fray as 
if over one half of its numbers was not able to answer the 
roll call. Observing that his right wns well protected by an 
impassable swamp formed by a creek, (Snake,) and discover- 
jrg that the rebel left was open for a demonstration, Wallace 
determined to press it, if possible turn it. For that purpose, 
he stated in his report : " It became necessary for me to 
change front by a left half-wheel of the whole division. While 
the ]novement was in progress, across a road through the 
woods at the southern end of the field we were resting by, I 
discovered a heavy column of rebels going rapidly to reen« 
force their left, which was still retiring, covered by skirmish- 
ers, with whom mine were engaged. Thompson's battery was 
ordered up and shelled the passing column with excellent 



260 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

effect, but while so engaged he was opened on bj a full bat- 
tery planted in the field just beyond the strip of woouls on the 
right. He promptly turned his guns at the new enemy. A 
fine artillery duel ensued, very honorable to Thompson and 
Lis company. His ammunition giving out in the midst of it, 
I ordered liim to retire, and Lieutenant Thurber to take his 
place. Thurber obeyed with such alacrity, that there was" 
scarcely an intermission in the fire, which continued so long 
and with such warmth as to provoke the attempt on the part 
of the rebels to charge the position. Discovering the inten- 
tion, the First brigade was brought across tlie field to occupy 
the strip of woods in front of Thurber. The cavalry made the 
first dash at the battery, but the skirmishers of the Ninth 
Missouri poured an unexpected fire into them, and they retired 
pell-mell. Next the infantry attempted a charge ; the First 
brigade easily repelled them. All this time my whole divi- 
sion was vmder a furious cannonade, but being well masked 
behind the bluff, or resting in the hollows of the woods, the 
regiments suffered but little." 

This affair only stayed the advance for a brief period. The 
cleared field in front was intersected by a willow-fringed 
stream. Over this the First and Second brigades now pressed. 
The sl^irmishers in action all the way cleared the rise, and 
grouped themselves behind the ground-swells within seventy- 
five yards of the rebel lines. As the regiments approached 
them, suddenly a sheet of musketry blazed from the woods, 
and a battery opened upon them. About the same instant, 
the regiments supporting his left fell hastily back. To save 
his flank a halt was ordered. The wavering battalions soon 
recovered, when the two brigades pressed on with fixed bayo- 
nets. The rebels fell back into the woods, thus abandoning 
their first positions, which the Federals now held. 

Fortune, however, wavered for a moment on the left of 
Wallace's well won position. Sherman advanced under cover 
of the three guns of the Chicago Light artillery, (Company A, 
Lieutenant P. P. Wood commanding,) until the line of McCler- 
nand's old camp was gained, on the Corinth road. There he 



OF THE WAR. 261 

first met Buell's column of veterans — such troops as only a 
niilitA:Ty commander of the truest instincts can produce. Their 
steadiness and precision inspired the new recruits of Sherman's 
brigades with great confidence and enthusiasm. Wilhch's 
famous regiment advanced upon the enemy lurking, in heavy 
force, in a thicket of water-oalcs. The reception by the enemy 
compelled even the invincible Indiana Thirty-second to retire 
before it. The fire of musketry was perfectly astoimding, 
and Colonel Willich came from the wood with sadly riddled 
ranks. It was evident that tliere was to be- the gi'eat struggle 
of the day. Into the thicket, to support Buell's forces, Sher- 
man now led his men. He says : " The enemy had one bat- 
tery close to Shiloh, and another near the Hamburg road, both 
pouring grape and canister upon my column of troops that 
advanced upon the green point of water-oaks. Willich's regi- 
ment had been repulsed, but a whole brigade of McCook's 
division advanced beautifully, deployed and entered this 
dreaded wood. I ordered my Second brigade, then com- 
manded by Colonel T. Kilby Smith, (Colonel Stuart being 
■wounded,) to form on its right, and my Fourth brigade, Colonel 
Buckland, on its left, all to advance abreast, with the Ken- 
tucky brigade before mentioned, (Rosseau's.) I gave personal 
direction to the twenty-four-pounder guns, whose fire soon 
Bilenced the enemy's guns to the left, and at the Shiloh meet- 
ing House. Rosseau's brigade moved in splendid order stea- 
dily to the front, sweeping everything before it, and at four 
p. Tvr. stood upon the ground of our original front line. The 
enemy was then in full retreat." 

This states a splendid achievement in very modest terms. 
It was one of the m.ost severe and hotly contested sections of 
the field, where Beauregard commanded in person and was 
supported by the divisions of Bragg, Polk and Breckenridga 

Thus far for the fortunes of the Federal right. The center, 
under McClernand's command, was engaged from the first 
moment with great obstinacy. Finding Buell gaining ground 
on the left, while the right was slowly advancing, the enemy 
threw his greatest strength in several assaults upon the center, 



262 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

toping to force it and thus retrieve the day. But JMcCler- 
nand's men were invincible. Hurlbnrt's somewhat thinned, 
but still resolute ranks moved up to his support, taking hia 
left. Thei-e the obstinacy of the fight, at times, was not paral- 
leled on the field. The two contestants seemed equally- 
resolved not to yield a rood of ground. One who was present, 
on this portion of the field, wrote : 

" It uow became evident that the rebels were avoiding the extreme 
of the left wing, and endeavoring to find some weak point in the lines 
by which to turn our force, and thus create an irrevocable confusion. 
It is wonderful with what perseverance and determination they adhered 
to this purpose. They left one point but to return to it immediately, 
and then as suddenly would, by some masterly stroke of generalship, 
direct a most vigorous assault upon some division where they fancied 
they would not be expected. The fire of our liiv3s was steady as clock- 
work, and it soon became evident that the enemy almost considered the 
task they had undertaken a hopeless one. Notwithstanding the con- 
tinued rebuff" of the rebels wherever they had made their assaults, up 
to two o'clock they had given no evidence of retiring from the field. 
Their firing had been as rapid and vigorous at times as during the 
most terrible hours of the previous day, yet not so well confined to one 
point of attack." 

Hurlburt's forces. Second and Third brigades, were also 
doing great service in another part of the field, on the left, 
where, by their undaunted bravery, they contributed to the 
complete success of the day. Ilurlburt thus chronicled the 
doings of his brigades : 

" The Second brigade led the charge ordered by General Grant until 
recalled by Major-General Buell. The Third brigade was deeply and 
fiercely engaged on the right of General McClernand, successfully stop- 
ping a movement to flank his right, and holding their ground until 
the firing ceased. About one o'clock of that day, (Monday,) General 
McCook having closed up with General McClernand, and the enemy 
demonstrating in great force on the left, I went, by the request of Gen- 
eral McClernand, to the rear of his line to bring up fresh troops, and 
was engaged in pressing them forward until the steady advance of 
General Buell on the extreme left, the firmness of the center, and the 
closing in from the right of Generals Sherman and Wallace determined 
the success of the day, when I called in my exhausted brigades, and led 
them to their camps. The ground was such on Sunday that I was un- 
able to use cavalry. Colonel Taylor's Fifth Ohio cavalry was drawn 



OF THE WAR. 263 

tip in order of battle until near one o'clock in tlic hope that some open- 
ing might offer for the use of this arm. None appearing, I ordered the 
conunaud to be ■s\ithdra'\vn from the reach of shot." 

Wallace, after having forced the rebels back into their 
centre, pushed in upon them again by an oblique movement, 
l^his exposed his right flank, temporarily, when the Confeder- 
ates suddenly threw their cavalry upon the right. The Twenty- 
third Indiana and one company of the First Nebraska, kept 
the enemy at bay until reserves came up, when a most obsti- 
nate conflict followed, and the rebels, bringing six or seven 
regiments immediately forward — their aim being to cut 
Wallace off from the army line, and thus " bag him,"' as Pren- 
tiss was bagged the day previous. As an evidence of fighting 
done there, we may recur to the words of the General : 

" Pending this struggle, Colonel Thayer pushed on his command, and 
entered the woods, assaulting the enemy simultaneously with Colonel 
Smith. Here the Fifty-eighth Ohio and Twenty-third Indiana proved 
themselves fit comrades in battle with the noble Nebraska First. Hero 
also the Seventy-sixth Ohio won a brilliant fame. The First Nebraska 
fired away its last cartridge in the action. At a word the Seventy-sixth 
Ohio rushed in and took its place. Off to the right, in the meanwhile, 
arose the music of the Twentieth and Seventy-eighth Ohio, fighting 
gallantly in support of Tliurbcr, to whom the sound of rebel cannon 
seemed a challenge no sooner heard than accepted. 

" From the time the wood was entered, forward was the only order. 
And step by stej), from tree to tree, position to position, the rebel lines 
went back, never stopping again — infantry, horse and artillery, all went 
back. The firing was grand and terrible. Before us was the Crescent 
regiment of New Orleans ; shelling us on the right was the Washington 
Artillery, of Manassas renown, whose last stand was in front of Colonel 
"Whittlesey's command. To and fro, now in my front, then in Sher- 
man's, rode General Beauregard, inciting his troops, stnd fighting foi 
his fading prestige of invincibility. The desperation of the striigglo 
may be easily imagined. 

" While this was in progress, far along the lines to the left the con- 
test was raging with equal obstinacy. As indicated by the sounds, 
however, the enemy seemed retiring everywhere. Cheer after cheer 
rung througli the woods. Each man felt the day was ours. 

" About four o'clock, the enemy to my front broke into rout, and ran 
through the camps occupied by General Sherman on Sunday morning. 
Their own camp had been established about two miles beyond. There, 
34 



264 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

■without halting, they fired tents, stores, etc. Throwing out the wound* 
ed, they filled their wagons full of arms, (Si^ringficld muskets and Ea- 
field rifles,) ingloriously thrown away by some of our troops the day 
before, and hurried on. After following them until nearly nightfafl, I 
brought my division back to Owl Creek, and bivouacked it." 

Buell, with Nelson's and Grittenden's divisions, pressed 
into the enemy's right as obstinately as Wallace had pressed 
their extreme left. Bnell thus briefly states the important 
services of his command : 

"Ammen's brigade, which was on the left, advanced in good order 
upon the enemy's right, but was checked for some time by his endeavor 
to turn our left flank, and by his strong center attack in front. Cap- 
tain Terrell, who, in the mean time, had taken an advanced position, 
was compelled to retire, leaving one caisson, of which every horse was 
killed or wounded. It was very soon recovered. Having been reen- 
forced by a regiment from General Boyle's brigade, Nelson's division 
again moved forward, and forced the enemy to abandon ei^tircly liis 
position. This success flanked the enemy at his second and third bat- 
teries, from which he was soon driven, with the loss of several pieces 
of artillery by the concentrated fire of Terrell's and Mcndenhall's bat- 
teries, and an attack from Crittenden's division in front. The enemy 
made a second stand some eight hundred yards in rear of this position, 
and opened fire with his artillery. Mendenhall's battery was thrown 
forward, silenced the battery, and it was captured by Crittenden's divi- 
sion, the enemy retreating from it. In the mean time, the division of 
General McCook on the right, Avliich became engaged somewhat later 
in the morning than the division on the left, had made steady progress, 
until it drove the enemy's left from the hotly-contested field. The 
action was commenced in this division by General Rosscau's brigade, 
which drove the enemy in front of it from his first jjosition, and cap- 
tured a battery. The line of attack of this division caused a consider- 
able widening of the space ))etw^een it and Crittenden's right. It Avas 
also outflanked on its right by the line of the enemy, who made repeat- 
ed strong attacks on its flanks, but was always gallantly repulsed. The 
enemy made his last decided stand in front of this division, in the 
woods beyond Sherman's camp." 

Johnston having been killed, Beauregard was in chief com- 
mand. Everywhere along his lines rode that leader, striving 
by appeal, command, exposure of his own person, to arrest the 



OF THE WAR. 265 

lide of defeat, but to no purpose.* The steady flank advances 
of the Federal wings — the solidity of their centre, rendered it 
necessary to "retire," if he would not be cut off entirely from 
retreat Ilis baffled and somewhat dispirited bi-igades fell 
back slowly, gathering, in good order, in upon the Corinth. . 
road, which, in all the fortunes of the two day's fight, had been 
carefully secured from any approach of the Unionists. The 
retreat has been described as a rout, but such it was not to any 
great degi'ee. Some regiments threw away their arms, blan- 
kets, etc., from exhaustion, and a reckless disregard of orders; 
while the great numbers of killed, wounded and exhausted, so 
absorbed even the transport wagons, as to compel the enemy 
to leave behnid much of his camp equipage and some of his 
guns. 

The pursuit was feeble. The nature of the woods restrained 
tilie cavalry in their movements, and rendered them compara- 
^ively useless. Three thousand flnely-mountcd fellows had 
waited, for two days, an opportunity to ride into the conflict ; 
and the order, late in the day of Monday, to pursue and harass 
the enemy, gave them but a brief service. The infantry 
■pushed forward only for a mile or two. Colonel Wagner's 
brigade of General "Wood's division, arrived late in the day, 
and was given the order to advance to the front for the pur- 
suit ; but Buell knew sO little of the topography of the country 
that he considered it hazardous to penetrate too far into tho 
enemy's midst. This neglect to press the retreating foe gave 

* To sln)\v what importance Jolidston attaclied to the impendiug 
battle, "sve may quote from liis address to his army, dated April 3d : 

"Soldiers- I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders 
of your country, with the resolutii)n, discipline and valor boconiiug- nieu 
fighting, as you are, for all worth living and dying for. You can but 
march to a decided victory over agrarian mercenaries, sent to suljugata 
you and to despoil you of your liberties, property and honor. 

" Remember the precious stake involved ! Remember the depen- 
dence of your mothers, yonr wives, your sisters and your children on tho 
result ! Remember the fair, broad, abounding lands, the happy homes 
tliat will be desolated by your defeat ! The eyes and hopes of eight mil- 
\\on% of people rest ujiou you !" etc., etc. 



266 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

them tlie poor consolation of pronouncing their effoi-t to stay 
the Federal advance a success, and tiiereupon a victory. The 
press of the South quite generally heralded it as a great 
triumph for the Confederates ! They needed some crumb of 
comfort to console them for the loss of Island No. 10, which 
General Pope's masterly strategy and Commodore Foote's 
"irrepressible" guns gave to the Federal arms, with all its gar- 
rison, armaments, stores, etc., on the morning of the 8th of 
April. 



XXVI. 



INCIDENTS OF THE PITTSBUKGH LANDING 
BATTLE. 

The field was strewn with the wounded and the dead. No 
time oflfered for the wounded to be cared for by their fellows, 
though, on. the second day, as the Unionists advanced, the 
surgeons came on and did their duty manfully and well. 
Friend and foe were treated alike. Captain Jackson, of Gen- 
eral Grant's staff, wrote : " The field presented a sorry spectacle. 
It extended over a distance of five igailes in length and three- 
quartere of a mile in width. This space was fought over 
twice^ in regular battle-army, and many times in the fluctuat- 
ing fortunes of the different portions of the two armies. It 
was covered with dead and wounded. "Where the artillery 
had taken effect, men lay in heaps, covering rods of gix>und, 
mingled in wild masses of mangled horses, broken gun-carriages 
and all the dread debiis of a battle-field. AYhcre our men had 
made their desperate charges, the bodies lay in rows as they 
had received the bayonet, constituting, at particular points, 



OF THE WAR. 267 

parapets of flesli and blood, over wliicli a battle miglit have 
been fought, as over a breast-work. Not a tree or a sapling in 
that whole space which was not pierced throngh and through 
with cannon-shot and musket-balls, and, if we may believe the 
accounts, there was scarcely a rod. of ground on the five miles 
which did not have a dead or wounded man upon it." 

The struggle wasof that character which, made men forget- 
ful of self. Every man seemed infused with only one thought, 
to kill as many as possible. One who was on the ground 
wrote of this obstinacy of both parties : 

" On Sunday, especially, several portions of the ground were fought 
over three and four times, and the two lines swayed backward and for- 
ward, like advancing and retreating waves. In repeated instances, 
rebel and Union soldiers, protected by the trees, were within thirty feet 
of each other. The rebels derisively shouted ' Bull Run,' nnd our men 
returned the taunt by crying ' Donelson.'. Many of the cam2is, as they 
■were lost and won, lost again, and retaken, received showers of balls. 
At the close of the fight, General IMcClernand's tent contained twenty- 
seven bullet-holes, and his Adjutant's thirty-two. Chairs, tables, mess- 
pans, camp-kettles, and other articles of camp furniture were riddled. 
In the Adjutant's tent, when our forces recaptured it, the body of a 
rebel was found in a sitting position. He had evidently stopped for a 
moment's rest, when a ball struck and killed him. In one tree I have 
counted sixty bullet-holes. Another tree, not more than eighteen inches 
in diameter, which was in front of General Lew Wallace's division, bears 
the mark of more than ninety balls, within ten feet of the ground. On 
Sunday, ComjDany A, of the Forty-ninth Illinois, lost from one volley 
twenty-nine men, including three officers ; and, on Monday morning, 
the company appeared on the ground commanded by a Second Sergeant. 
General McClernand's Third Brigade, which was led by Colonel Raith, 
until he was mortally wounded, changed commanders three times dur- 
ing the battle. On Monday morning, one of General Ilurlbnrt's regi- 
ments (the Third Iowa) was commanded by a First Lieutenant, and 
others were in command of Captains." 

Such statements would be discredited were they not con- 
firmed by those of other writers wdio have visited the field. 
They serve to prove how appalling must have been the slaugh- 
ter, and yet" out of the awful picture how the one great fact 
stands forth in a halo of glory — that of the courage of the 
Northern men ! Such courage has its elements of sublimity 



268 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"wliicli would immortalize any other people. But of Americana 
it is expected^ and therefore, will not especially be noted by 
writers on the war. The correspondent above referred to sa3''3 
of the personal bearing and hair-breadth escapes of some of the 
commanders : 

" General Grant Is an illustration of the fortune tbrotsigli wliicli some 
men, in the thickest showers of bullets, always escape. He has partici- 
pated in two skirmishes and fourteen pitched battles, and is universally 
pronounced, by those who have seen him on the field, daring even to 
rashness ; but he has never received a scratcli. At four o'clock on Sun- 
day evening, he Avas sitting upon his horse, just in the rear of our line 
of batteries, when Captain Carson, the scout wlio had reported to him 
a moment before, had fallen back, and was holding his horse by tlie 
bridle, about seven feet behind him — a six-jjound shot, which flew very 
near General Grant, carried away all Carson's head, except a portion 
of the chin, passed just behind Lieutenant Graves, volunteer aid to 
General Wilson, tearing away the cantle of his saddle, cutting his 
clothing but not injuring him, and then took off the legs of a soldier in 
one of General Nelson's regiments, which were just ascending the bluff. 

" About the same hour, further up to the riglit, General Sherman, 
who had been standing for a moment, while Major Hammond, his chief 
of staff, v;as holding his bridle, remounted. By the prancing of his 
horse, as he mounted, General Sherman's reins were thrown over his 
neck, and he was leaning forward in the saddle, Avith his head lowered, 
while Major Hammond was bringing them back over his head, when a 
rifle-ball sti'uck the lin-e in Major Hammond's hand, severing it within 
two inches of his fingers, and passing through the top and back of 
General Sherman's hat. Had he been sitting upright it Avould have 
struck his head. At another time a ball struck General Sherman on the 
shoulder, but his metallic shouldcr-strai) wardefl it off. "With a third 
he was less fortunate, for it passed tlirough his hand ; but now he has 
nearly recovered from the wound. General Sherman had three horses 
shot under him, two with three balls each, and the last with two. It 
is the universal testimony that he manoeuvered his troops admirably, 
and that he is the hero of the battle. His nomination to a Major- 
Generalship is a deserved tribute to one of the best officers in our 
service. 

" General Ilurlburt had a six-pound shot jxass between his horse's 
head and his arm ; a bullet passed tlirough his horse's mane, and one 
of his horses was killed under him. Lieutenants Dorchester and Long, 
of his staff, each had several bullets and pieces of shell strike their cloth- 
ing. Lieutenant Tcsilian, of General McClernand's stafl', had his cloth" 



OPTHEWAR. . 269 

iug perforated I:)y five balls, -n'itliout receiving a wound. Major Ham- 
mond, of General Sherman's staff, had his cap cut by two bullets, and 
his boots by two, and two horses shot under him, but he escaped unin- 
jured. A private in the Seventeenth Illinois had two of his front teeth 
knocked out by a bullet, which, though it entered his mouth, did him 
no further injury. A ritle-ball struck the temple of another private, 
near his right ear, possed through his head, and came out near the left 
ear; but he is recovering. Lieutenant Charles Provost, of the First 
Nebraska, received a bullet in the clasp of his sword-belt, and was after- 
ward knocked down by the windage of a cannon-ball, but was not 
injured." 

Of Buell's conduct, one of liis men wrote in these entliusiastio 
terms : " I wish you could have seen the gallantry, the bravery, 
the dauntless daring, the coolness of General Buell. He 
seemed to be omnipresent. If ever man was qualified to com- 
mand an army, it is he. He is a great, a ver?/ great General, 
and has proved himself so ; not only in organizing and dis- 
ciplining an army, but in handling it. General Buell had his 
horse shot under him. Captain Wright, his Aid, had the 
visor of his cap touched by a ball." 

The fighting of not only regiments, but of individuals, af- 
forded so many instances of remarkable courage, devotion and 
endurance, as to make the record one of extraordinary though 
painful interest. " Each man fought," said one of the news- 
paper correspondents from the bloody field, " as if success or 
defeat depended on his own right arm ; and charge after charge 
was made upon the rebels to regain the ground we had lost. 
They stood firm as a rock ; and though our artillery often 
swept down their ranks and left fearful gaps in their columns, 
they manifested no trepidation, nor did they waver for a mo- 
ment. The living supplied the place of the dead. The 
musket that had fallen from a lifeless hand was seized at once, 
and the horrid strife swept on as before. The force of the 
enemy appeared increasing, and where the greatest havoc was 
made, there the strongest opposition was shown. Hand-to- 
hand contests were innumerable. Every struggle was for life. 
Quarter was asked on neither side, and the ground drank up 
the blood of hundreds of brave fellows every hour. Men lost 



270 - INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

their scmLlance of humanity, and the spirit of th ^ demon 
shoue in their faces. There was but one desire, and that was 
to destroy. There was Httle shouting. The warriors were too 
much in earnest. They set their teeth firm, and strained every 
nerve to its utmost tension. Death lost all its terrors, r nd men 
seemed to feed upon the sight of blood." 

Of such ghastly features is the "grim front of war ;" only 
the reality is more painful, more horrible than wotds eau 
express. Men to contemplate it with serenity must be demons 
indeed, or else they must be mastered by emotions higl: 3r and 
nobler than love of life or self — the love of a cause which 
Heaven consecrates. 

One of General Buell's manoeuvres, characteristic of 1 lis off- 
hand and reliable way of meeting exigencies, is happilj' illus- 
trated in the following : 

"Tlicy were fidvanciiig in great force to turn our left and capture our 
transports and supplies, -when BucII, becoming aware of their intentions, 
made iireparations to receive tliem. About half a mile above the Land- 
ing are two large ridges running back from the river. The rid£;e next 
to the Landing is the highest. Buell placed a battery on each of the 
ridges, and between them he placed a brigade of infantry. The troops 
were ordered to lie down. He then ordered the lower battery to fire on 
the enemy and make a show of retreating in confusion, so to draw the 
rebels on. On came the rebels pell-mell, yelling at the top of their voices, 
'Bull Run! Bull Run !' thinking to frighten us. As soon as the rebels 
came in range, the lower battery, agreeably to orders, opened fire, re- 
treated, and took a position in the rear of the upper battery. The rebels, 
seeing our men retreating, charged up the hill and tookpossessior. of the 
battery. The rebels, in the mean time, were not aware of our troops be- 
ing in the hollow below them. At this moment the signal was sounded, 
and the whole brigade rose to their feet and poured a deadly fire of 
rifle-balls into the ranks of the rebels, cutting them down by wores. 
At this favorable moment, also, the upper battery poured in- a perfect 
storm of grape and canister shot. The rebels reeled and staggered like 
drunken men, and at last broke and fled in every direction, leavip^ the 
ground strewcid with dead and dying." 



OF THE WAR. 271 

The losses of the Union forces in the two clays struggle have 
been set down at 18,508, distributed as follows : 

GRANT'S ARMY. 



DITISI0X3. 


KILLED. 


\rOUXDED. 


MISSINO. 


TOTAL. 


1 — General McCIcrnand, 


251 


1,351 


236 


1,843 


2— General W. II. L. Wallace, 


228 


. 1,033 


1,163 


2,424 


3 — General Lew Wallace, 


43 


257 


5 


305 


4 — General Hurlburt, 


313 


1,449 


223 


1,983 


6 — General Sherman, 


318 


1,275 


441 


2,034 


6 — General Prentisa, 


19G 


6G2 


1,802 


2,700 



Total, 1,349 6,927 3,870 11.356 

BUELL'S ARMY. 



2 — General McCook, 
4— General Nelson, 
6 — General Crittenden, 


95 
90 
80 


793 
691 
410 

1,794 


8 
68 
27 


806 
739 
617 


Total, 


2G5 


93 


2,152 


Grand Total, 


1,G14 


7,721 


3,903 


13,508 



That of the enemy in killed and wounded was much greater 
than the Union loss. Of the rebel losses no authentic data 
probably ever will be furnished. The Sunday's fight they 
could report upon and not upon that of Monday, where they 
were compelled to leave their dead upon the field, from which 
they were driven. After Monday's fight, General McCler- 
nand's division buried the remains of six hundred and thirty- 
eight rebels left npon the field. General Sherman's, six hun- 
dred, Gei^eral Nelson's, two hundred and sixty-three, and Colo- 
nel's Thnyci's brigade of General Lew Wallace's division, one 
hundred and twenty -three. These were the only commands 
from which rotnrns were received ; but the most of the other 
ili visions and biigades buried a proportionate number. The 
rebels miist have lobt four thousand killed, by the most mode- 
rate estimate. 



85 



XXVII. 



BOMBARDMENT OF FORTS JACKSON AND ST. PHILIP, AND 
THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS. 

The conflict witli the forts guarding the approacli to Kew 
Orleans, added to the lustre of American arms, and aftbrded 
another demonstration of the immense superiority of fleets 
over land defenses. The first official announcement from the 
scene of the contest was as follows : 

" To the Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy. 

"I have the honor to announce that, in the providence of God, which smiles 
upon a just cause, tlie squadron under flag-officer Farragut, has been vouchsafed a 
glorious victory and triumph in the capture of tlie city of New Orleans, Forts 
Jackson, St. Philip, Livingston and Pilve, the batteries above and below New 
Orleans, as well as the total destruction of the enemy's gunboats, steam rams, 
floating batteries (iron-clad,) fire-rafts, and obstructions, booms and chains. The 
enemy, with their own hands, destroyed from eight to ten millions of cotton and 
shipping. Our loss is thirty-six killed and one hundred and twenty-three wounded. 
The enemy lost from one thousand to fifteen hundred, besides several hundred 
prisoners. The way is clear, and the rebel defenses destroyed from the Gulf to 
Baton Rouge, and, probably, to Memphis. Our flag waves triumphantly over them 
all. I am bearer of dispatches. 

(Signed) " THEODORUS BAILEY." 

This most important announcement was dated at Fortress 
Monroe, May 8th, 1862. It filled the hearts of loyalists with 
rejoicing and sent dismay into the hearts of the revolutionists. 
It was just cause for rejoicing, opening, as it virtually did, the 
Mississippi river to commerce, and depriving the rebels of their 
most important metropolis. Kecognizing its importance, the 
Confederates had so fortified the approaches as to deem the 
city safe, and they looked forward to the Federal struggle with 



OF THE WAR. 273. 

tlieir forts and obstructions, with a satisHiction not at all re- 
pressed. The New Orleans papers were defiant and derisive 
until the sudden knowledge (Api'il 26th) that the Federal gun- 
boats were approaching the city, when dismay sent the over- 
confident and boastful press into the most painful condition of 
wounded pride. 

The story of the struggle by which the Union forces under 
General Butler were placed in possession of the capital, forms 
one of the most novel and deeply interesting chapters of the 
war. "VVe will recur to it with as much brevity as is consis- 
tent with completeness. " 

The success of the expeditions against Hatteras, Port Royal 
and the North Carolina coast inspii'ed the Navy Department 
with new zeal in the prosecution of its plans for the reduction 
of New Orleans. It secretly organized an immense fleet of 
gunboats, mortars and transports, giving the fleet command 
to Commodore D. Gr. Farragut, and the mortar flotilla to Cap- 
tain D. J). Porter ; while an expeditionary corps of land 
forces w^as placed under command of Major-General B. F. 
Butler. The destination of the fleet and flotilla was kept a 
secret for some time, though by ]\Iarch 20th it became gener- 
ally understood that New Orleans was its point of combined 
operations. Butler's forces centered at Ship Island early in 
March. Brigadier-General Phelps assuming command, await- 
ing the superior officer's arrival. The fleet arrived at Ship 
Island late in March ; the bomb flotilla and transports rapidly 
followed, bearing an armament of mortars, the strength of 
which exceeded that brought to bear upon Sebastopol. 

This concentration at once threatened Mobile and New Or- 
leans. The rebels immediately deserted Pensacola, which 
they had fortified with so much labor and cost — the land 
forces under Bragg hastening to reenforce Johnston and Beau- 
regard at Corinth, and the artillerists from the forts going to 
strengthen the garrisons in the forts guarding Mobile and New 
Orleans. The forts, Navy-yard, dry dock, store houses, bar- 
racks and marine hospital at Pensacola were abandoned, April 
6 -9th. On the night of the latter day they were fired by the 



274 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

/■ 

coast guard and consumed. This left no " enemy in tlic rear" 
to attend to, and all attention was directed to the work in 
hand against the forts commanding the approaches to New 
Orleans. 

The fleet and flotilla gathered, during tlie middle of April, 
in the Mississippi lliver, ten miles below Fort Jackson. The 
novel expedient was then resorted to of painting the vessels 
with mud — the more effectually to hide them from the ene- 
my's sight. The masts were afterwards rigged out with bushes 
and ever-greens, thus quite successfully masking their propor- 
tions. It was only by the smoke of the Federal guns that 
their location could be mai'kcd by the cncm}'. Under the 
leafy covert of the river banks the mortar-boats fought, when 
the bombardment finally opened, in comparative security, 
sending their fearful thirteen-inch shells into the Fort (Jack- 
son) with precision, without offering any target for a return 
fire. The mud-paint and bush-masque were a " Yankee trick," 
for which the rebels were not prcpai'cd. 

The bomb flotilla was prepared for the bombardment by 
the 17th. The rebels sent fire rafts, in large numbers, down 
the river, hoping to destroy some of the Union boats, but they 
were uniformly siqipressed by a ball or two from one of the 
rifled guns. " The mortar fleet sent the first missile howling 
over the water," wrote a correspondent, " towards Fort Jack- 
son at prcciselyiialfpast nine on the morning of Friday, April 
18th. It is called Good Friday in the calendar of the Church, 
although flnytliing but a good day for the rebels. Our schoon- 
ers lay partly hidden from the enemy behind the trees and 
under the brushwood of a dense swamp which stretches along 
the right bank of the river. With a curious disj^lay of inge- 
nuity, they baffled the eyes of the enemy still further by dress- 
ing up their masts and rigging with the branches of green 
withes and leaves, which so confounded them with the woods 
that at a distance they could scarcely be distinguished. The 
rebel gunners learned only from the wreaths of smoke which 
curled above the seeming forest the temporary position of 
their assailants. This will be pronounced a Yankee trick, 



OF THE WAR. 275 

doubtless, by our secession critics and their sympathetic friends 
abroad, or else, that it was borrowed from Macbcth's enemies, 
when ' Birnam wood did come to Dunsinane.' 

"The distance of the foremost vessel from the Fort was 
three thousand three hundred and forty 3-ards, and the three 
divisions of which the fleet was composed engaged in the fire 
ulternatcl}', each division firing for four hours and then rest- 
ing for eight. The rate of fire generally observed was, one 
shell from each mortar of the division every ten minutes. As 
Fort Jackson replied with considerable rapiditj^and vigor, 3^ou. 
may conceivie the noise of the thunder, which was continued 
for six days and five nights. 

"Fortunately, our schooners were mostly out of the range of 
Fort Jackson, and onl}- within range of Fort Philip ; but, even 
from the latter, nothing but rifled guns and mortars were at 
all dangerous. Fortunately again, the enemy had few of these 
customers to send us, and we fought comparatively secure. 
Many of our vessels were struck, in the course of the long 
engagement, but only one of them was severely injured, and 
only two of their men severely wounded." 

The firing of the bomb and gunboats having apparently 
done but indifferent service in disabling the forts, Commodore 
Farragut determined to " run their fire" and make for the city 
withouc waiting for the reduction of the formidable defenses. 
All night long of tlie 23d the vessels of the squadron were 
arranging for the perilous attempt, and were on the way by 
three A. ?.r. Captain Porter, in his report, said : 

" We commenced the bombardment of Fort Jackson on 
the 18th, and continued it without intermission until the squa- 
dron made preparations to move. The squadron was formed 
in three lines to pass the forts. Captain Bailey's division 
composed of the following vessels, leading to the attack on 
Fort St. Philip, viz. : Cayvga^ Pensacola, Mississ/pj^t] Oneida, 
Vanina^ Katahden, Kinco and Wissaldcon. Flag Oificer Farra- 
gut leading the following (second line) : Ilart/ord, Broohhjn 
^vA llldimond ; and Commander Bell leading the thiixl divi* 



276 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

sion composed of tlie following vessels : Scioia^ Iroquois, Pi 
nola, Wino7ia, Itasca and Kennebec. 

" The steamers belonging to the mortar flotilla were to enfi- 
lade the water battery commanding the approaches ; mortar 
steamers Harriet Lane, Westfield, Owasco, Clifton and Suanee, 
and the JacJcson towing the Portsmouth.. The vessels of the 
squadron were rather late in getting weigh and into line ; and 
did not get fairly started until 8:80 A. M. The unusual bustle 
apprised the garrison that something was going on. 

" In an hour and ten minutes after the vessels had weighed 
anchor, they had passed the forts, under a most terrific fire, 
which they returned with interest. The mortar fleet rained 
down shells upon Fort Jackson to try and keep the men from 
the guns, while the steamers of the mortar fleet poured in 
shrapnel upon the water battery commanding the approach at 
a short distance, keeping them comparatively quiet. When 
the last vessel could be seen, amid the fire and smoke, to pass 
the battery, signal was made to the mortars to cease firing, 
and the flotilla steamers were directed to retire from a contest 
that would soon become unequal." 

This alludes only incidentally to that extraordinary " run- 
ning the muck." From a resume of the eventfid passage, we 
may quote : "Just before dawn the squadron was discovered 
approaching by the enemy. The fury with which it was 
attacked is i3roved by the tremendous exertions our vessels 
were compelled to make in order to carry through their pur- 
pose. At first the rebel fleet endeavored only to check their 
progress, while the two forts poured incessant volleys upon 
them ; but presently the action became closer and more 
involved, and mainly confined to the river. Ilollins' ' ram,' 
the Manassas, although it afterward turned out a helpless and 
feeble fabric, served the rebels well for a time. It not only 
engaged Commodore Farragut's flag-ship, the Hartford, but 
also succeeded in forcing a fire raft upon her, from which she 
narrowly escaped destruction. ' I thought it was all up with 
us,' said the Commodore in a letter describing the event to 



OF THE WAR. 277 

Captain Porter. The flames were, however, extinguished in 
time to save the ship, and the ' ram' betook itself to other 
errands of destruction. The floating battery Louisiana, which 
lay moored not far from Fort Jackson, also occasioned great 
inconvenience. Its firing was well directed, and its metallic 
sides were found to be quite impenetrable. Other 'rams' 
emulated the Manassas, and attacked our gunboats with con- 
siderable effect. The Vanma, gallantly commanded by Cap- 
tain Boggs, was broken in pieces by their repeated onsets, but 
before her own destruction she made her name memorable by 
disabling and destroying no less than six of the rebel craft. 
Five of these were set in flames by the Vaynma's shell and 
run ashore, and another was shattered and forced to surrender. 
The intrepid tenacity of the Varuna's officers and crew is best 
illustrated by the fact that her last broadside, which beat in 
the sides of the ram Morgan, was fired while the gun-carriages 
on her upper deck were already settling in the water. During 
this time our other gunboats were not idle. Nine of them, 
together with the sloops-of-war, fought their way up the river, 
and gradually widened the space between themselves and the 
forts. A few were beaten back, having received injuries to 
their machinexy which rendered them incapable of proceeding. 
The Itasca, for example, is said to have received thirteen shots 
under her water line, beside having her boiler destroyed. But 
a sufficient number passed to secure the success of the expe- 
dition. Even at the last moment, the rebels maintained the 
struggle. Some of their steamers, which had been spared on 
condition of surrendering, broke away and renewed the fight 
at other j)oints. Finally, the ' ram' Manassas, after the engage- 
ment had virtually ended, and when the Union squadron was 
seeking an anchorage, bustled up after them, and fired a shot 
or two at the Richmond. The Mississippi turned swiftly to 
resent the insult, when, as if fearful of the consequences of its 
temerity, the ' ram' immediately ran ashore, was deserted, and 
was forthwith pounded to fragments by three heavy broad- 
sides from its purstier. 

" The conflict was a short one, lasting only an hour and a 



27S INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

half at tlie most. By half-past live in the morning our succesa 
had been achieved, and thp destiny of New Orleans decided. 
It was a result which the rebels never had anticipated, and 
which could never have been obtained except by the most 
devoted and unshrinking bravery. The consternation of the 
people of New Orleans was all the greater for the confidence 
they had cherished. After this decisive action only the merest 
show of resistance was offered at the fortifications intended 
for the immediate protection of the city. The fleet lay before 
New Orleans on the morning of the 25th. The inhabitants 
seemed possessed with a frenzy of rage and apprehension. 
They were destroying all accessible property, the lebel Gene- 
ral Lovell having set the example by burning his own goods. 
The officer sent on shore by Commodore Farragutwas received 
by the people, whom their Mayor afterward characterized as 
' gallant and sensitive to all that can affect their dignity and 
self-respect,' with brutal and ferocious demonstration of insult. 
In spite of this and similar actions, the dignity of our own 
mission was sustained, and the quiet occupation of the city by 
our forces was duly carried into effect." 

Farragut announced his success in the following rather 
laconic epistle to the commander of the flotilla : 

" Dear Portek : We had a rouuli time of it, as Boggs will tell you, 
but, thauk God, the uumberof killed and wounded was very small, con- 
sidering. This ship had two killed and eight wounded. We destroyed 
the ram in a single combat between her and the old Mississippi, but the 
ram backed out when she saw the 3Iississij^2^i coming at him so ram- 
pantly, and he dodged her and ran on shore, Avherupon Smith put two 
or three broadsides through him and knocked him all to pieces. The 
ram pushed a fire-raft on to me, and in trying to avoid it I ran the ship 
on shore. He again ijushcd the fire-raft on me, and got the ship on firo 
all along one side. I thought it was all ujd with us, but we put it out 
and got ofi" again, proceeding up the river, fighting our way. We have 
destroyed all but two of the gunboats, and these will have to surrender 
with the forts. I intend to follow up my success and push for New 
Orleans and then come down and attend to the forts, so you hold them 
in statu quo until I come back.. I think if you send a flag of truce and 
demand their surrender they will yield, for their intercourse with the city 
is cut off. We have cut the wires above the Quarantine and are now 
going ahead. I took three hundred or four hundred prisoners at 



OF THE WAR. 279 

QuaiTir.tinc. Tlicy surrendered and I paroled them not to take up anna 
again. I coul<l not stoj) to take care of them. If the General will como 
iij) to the baj-ou and land a few men or as many as he pleases, he will 
find two of our gunboats there to protect him from the gunboats that 
are at the forts. I wish to get to the English Turn, -where they say they 
have not placed a battery yet, but have two above, nearer New 
Orleans. " 

The forts followed the fate of the city. A demand was 
made by Captain Porter for their surrender, immediately after 
the passage up of Commodore Farragut's squadron ; but, the 
commanding officer, Colonel Iliggins, refused to give up, par- 
ticularly as he regarded himself able to hold the position 
for a time longer against Porter's bombs. Porter preferred to 
await the coming up of Butler's forces from the land side, to 
invest and carry the works by storm. Aware of this approach 
of the land forces, the commanding officer in the main fortress, 
together with General J. R Duncan, commanding the coast 
defenses, and W. B. Renshaw, commanding the rebel " navy," 
accepted the terms of capitulation extended by Captain Porter. 

TJie forts, after capitulation, were turned over to General 
Phelps. Porter said of their condition : " Fort Jackson is a 
perfect ruin, I am told that over one thousand eight hundred 
Bhells fell in and burst over ths centre of the fort. The prac- 
tice was beautiful. The next fort we go at we will settle 
sooner, as this has been hard to get at. The naval officers 
sunk one gunboat while the capitulation was going on, but I 
have one of the others, a steamer, at work, and hope soon to 
liavc the other." 



86 



XXV'IIT. 



INCIDENTS OF THE CAPTUKE OF FORTS JACKFON AND ST. 
PHILIP, AND THE FALL OF NEW ORLEANS. 

Before our bombardment of the forts began, the commandei'S 
of the British and French men-of-war lying in the river ex- 
pressed a desire to visit the enemy, of course to examine his 
preparations. The Commodore readily granted their request. 
When they returned, they assured him that it was of no use 
for him to attempt the capture of New Orleans in that direc- 
tion ; it could not be done with wooden vessels. The brave 
old tar replied : "I was sent here to make the attempt. You 
may be right, but I came here to take New Orleans — to pass 
the forts — and I shall try it on /" 

Of the fire-rafts sent down on the 18th and 19th, to destroy 
our fleet, a reporter present at the scene, wrote : " Our men 
had an opportunity to test, in a practical manner, their means 
for destroying fire-rafts, and they proved to be an admirable 
success. A turgid column of black smoke, arising from resi- 
nous wood, was seen approaching us froni the vicinity of the 
forts. Signal lights were made, the varied colors of which 
produced a beautiful effect upon the folinge of the rivor bank, 
and rendered the darkness intenser by contrast when they dis- 
appeared. Instantly a hundred boats shot out towards the 
raft, which now was blazing fiercely, and casting a wide zone 
of light upon the water. Two or three of the gunboats then 
got yinder way and steamed boldly toward the unknown thing 
of terror. One of them, the WestfieM, Cnpta'm Rcnshaw, gal- 
lantly opens her steam valves, and dashes furiously upon it, 
making the sparks fly and timbers crash with the force of her 



OF THE WAR. 281 

blow. Tlien a stream of water from her hose plays upon the 
blazing mass. Now the small boats lay alongside, coming up 
helter-skelter, and actively employing their men. We see 
everything distinctly in the broad glare — men, oars, boats, 
buckets, and ropes. The scene l(joks phantom-like, supernatu- 
ral ; intensely interesting, extremely exciting, inextricably 
confused. But, finally, the object is nobly accomplished. The 
raft, yet fiercely burning, is taken out of range of the anchored 
vessels and towed ashore, where it is slowly consumed. As 
the boats return the}'' are cheered by the fleet, and the scene 
changes to one of darkness and repose, broken occasionally by 
the gruff hail of a seaman when a boat, sent on business from 
one vessel to another, passes through the fleet We have a 
contempt for fire-rafts. They have proved, like many other 
things, to be ' weak inventions of the enemy.' " 

Fort Jackson, as stated by Captain Porter, was greatly shat- 
tered by the appalling iire of the flotilla and fleet. The 
drawbridges were completely destroyed; the cisterns were 
demolished ; the casemates and passages were filled with 
water, the levee having been cut away. The platforms for 
tents were destroyed by the- fire of shells. All the casemates 
are cracked from end to end, and in some places the roofs are 
completely broken, and frequently masses of brick have been 
dislodged Four guns were dismounted, and eleven carriages 
and traverses injured. The outer works of the fort are cracked 
from top to bottom, in several places admitting dajdigbt freely. 
It is computed that 3,339 shells were thrown into the ditche'S 
and overflowed parts of the fort; 1,080 shells exploded in the 
air over the fort ; 1,113 mortar-shells were counted on the 
sloping ground of the i'ovt and levee, and eighty -seven round 
shot Altogether 7,500 shells were fired. One shell passed 
through the roof of the water battery magazine, but did not 
explode. On the parapet were fourteen new graves. 

Porter, when told, at the conference on board the Harriet 
Lane, that the rebel "gentlemen of the navy" had fired and 
let loose the iron batter}^, signalled to his captains to look out 
£or their ships, and then quietly went on with the conference, 



282 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

telling the rebel colonel who was on bonrd with liirn, that 
" we could stand the fire and blow-up, if he could." That 
speech has the true ring of the old " Essex'' Porter, who 
fought one of the most desperate battles known to iiistory, 
and whose spirit is evidently alive in this descendant of his. 

During the conflict the much heard of rara Ilanas.'ias — with 
which Commodore Ilollins achieved his sole exploit by run- 
ning into the Brooklyn \y\\Q\\ she ventured into the )ivcr in the 
fall of 18(51 — again made its appearance, but only to its own 
dire destruction. It was so well " peppered" that it came 
drifting helplessly down stream on lire and in a sinking condi- 
tion. Wliether her crew remained on board, to be I'oasted or 
parboiled according to their place in the shi]), or whether they 
escaped, is not known. Commodore Portei", who liad an eye 
for a joke, did his best to preserve that specimen joke of the 
rebels ; he clapped a hawser round it and tried to tow it to 
the bank, but the ridiculous affair gave a pufi', blew a few 
harmless flakes of flame into the eves of the lauorhing tars who 
were endeavoring to surround it, and sunk. 

Among other things destroyed by the rebels at Kew Or- 
leans, was their monster and really formidable floating bat- 
tery — the Mississi'j^pi — upon which the Southern peo})le Ivad 
founded high hopes of success to their cause. She had been 
seven months in course of construction, emplo^dng five hu-n- 
dred men the whole time, and woukl have been finished in 
three weeks. Her length was two hundred and seventy f^et, 
her depth sixty, and her armament was to have been twenty 
rifled guns. The frame of the hull was made of Georgia pine, 
nine inches thick. Over the wood were placed three plates 
of rolled iron, making the thickness of the armor alone "our 
inches and a half She w^as 5,000 tons burden, and her mo- 
tive power consisted of three propellers, which were ealcuhted 
to give her a speed of eleven knots an hour. Two miUions 
of dollars are said to have been expended in building her. 
Some of the prisoners, taken in the gunboats, stated that sho 
•was intended to break up the blockaele and then cruise i\: Jho 
Gulf and near Havana for prizes. 



OF THE WAR. 283 

A pleasing incident occurred when the Federal frigate Mis- 
sissippi struck the levee shore at "Algiers" in her effort to 
swing around. A large and boisterous crowd collected, and 
sought to provoke the officers and men by their remarks. 
The Captain, to drown their noise, called the band and bade 
them strike up Hail Columbia. Involuntarily, as it were, the 
rabble ceased howling, and instinctively some of the old men 
in the throng raised their hats in acknowledgment of the strains 
which from their youth had inspired them. 

Two Irishmen cai^e alongside Captain Woodworth's vessel 
on her way up stream, with milk and eggs to sell. The Cap- 
tain, to enjoy a joke, offered to pay them for what was pur- 
chased in Confederate scrip. " Be gorra!'' said Pat, " I thought 
yez was gintlcmen, and paid for what yez wanted. Divil a, 
bit of money have I seen for a year, and Confederate scrip 
nas brought the wife and children to starvation almost." Ho 
was paid in the coin of Uncle Sam, when he broke out : " Hur- 
rah for the ould flag ! They w\anted to make me fight against 
it, but I never have fought and I never will fit for 'em." And 
he turned the money in his hand, examining it curiously, as a 
child might a newly-acquired toy. 

A correspondent wrote of the appearance of the city: "I 
was im])rcsscd with the remarkably desolate appearance of the 
city. All the warehouses were shut, and there was not a ves- 
sel, save those of the squadron, to be seen anywhere. As 
soon as the fleet, in its victorious advance, swept away the 
defenses at La Chalmette, a few miles below, and appeared 
before the city, the deluded jxiople burned all the shipping, 
and quantities of sugar, tobacco and cotton. The work of 
destruction was complete. More than forty vessels — steamers, 
schooners, ships — and immense piles of cotton, were fired at 
the same time, and the levee was a line of flame. The scene 
is described as being terrible. The mob took advantage of tlie 
occasion to plunder, and a panic of the wildest description 
raged. I saw the effects of this wanton sacrifice of property 
in the half-burned and submerged hulls of several vessels, and 



284 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the charred planks of the wharves on both sides of the river. 
Several heaps of cotton were still ablaze." 

The mob was only learned to cease its violence and tannta 
by the strong hand of Butler's soldiers. A day or tvro after 
the United States flag was hoisted over the public buildings, 
some persons assembled before the Mint, and tore the colors 
from the staff, trampling upon them. The Pensacoh, then 
lying ojoposite, discharged a round of grajDC into the crowd, 
killing one man and dispersing the others. When Butler as- 
sumed maVtial control over affiirs the fellow who tore the flag 
down (one Mumford) was taken, tried and hung in sight of 
a vast assembly, while his sentence was placarded over the 
city. That "summary disposition of one incorrigible traitof 
had the capital effect to render treason much less popular. 
The women of the city — including its leading " ladies'' — were, 
however, so malignant, and impudent in their malignancy, as 
to omit no occasion to bestow upon the Federal oflicers and 
soldiers alike their utmost scorn by words and acts. Oaths, 
imprecations, indecent epithets and spitting in faces w^ere 
everywhere meted out to the quiet and gentlemanly fellows 
who were distributed over the city as a guard. Butler fiHally 
put a stop to this feminine and disgraceful state of affairs by 
ordering the enforcement of a local law whicli assumed all 
females to be " women of the town" who were guilty of public 
indecorum : all such were to be consigned to the calaboose. 
There was very little female treason visible after that order. 
It was that order which so horrified Johnny Bull as to compel 
a leading faction in Parliament to demand English " inter- 
ference" in our affairs, to put a stop to such outrages upon 
helpless women ! 

There were found, safely stored in the Custom House, at 
least $50,000 worth of bells of all descriptions, from the pon- 
derous cathedral bell to the smallest size of hand-bells. These 
had been contributed in i-esponse to the proclamation of Beau- 
regard for gun metal, and were to have been worked up iu 
the Algieiij foundries. The " patriotic" churches, planters and 



OF THE WAK. 2S5t 

scbools wLicli had contributed these bells to " the cause" must 
have i-elished the joke exceedir.gly when they were made to 
chime melodiously for a Yankee victory. Unlike Tennyson's 
poetical bells, they rang in the Old and rang out the New 
order of things. 

Commodore Farragut's politeness was of a nature to excite 
a smile for its significance. April 26th he dispatched to " His 
Honor, the Mayor of New Orleans," the following polite 
request : 

" Your Honor ^Y^11 please give directicns that no flag but tliat of 
the United States uill be permitted to fly in the presence of tliis fleet, 
so long as it has tlie i)o\ver to prevent it ; and as all difiplai/s of that 
hind may ie the cause of lloodnJicd, I have to request that you will give 
this connnunicatiou as wide a circulation as potssible." 

This so injured the feelings of the Mayor that " His nonor" 
immediately made it the subject of a special message to the 
City Council. Faragut's politeness evidently was of the over- 
powering kind. 

The day previous (April 25th) the Commodo]-e dispatclied 
Captain Bailey to the Mayor to demand the unconditional 
surrender of the city — the hauling down of the Louisiana fing 
from the City Hall and of the Confederate flag from the Cus- 
tom House, Post-office and Mint — to require the raising of the 
United States flag on all these places. The Mayor called in 
General Lovell, commander-in-chief of the rebel forces, for the 
defense of the city. As stated by " His Honor," in his mes- 
sage to the Common Council, immediately convened : " Gene- 
ral Lovell refused to surrender the city or his forces, or any 
portion of them ; but accompanied his refusal with the state- 
ment that he should evacuate the city, withdraw his troops, 
and then leave the city authorities to act as they might deem 
proper." Whereupon the Mayor confessed that he was placed 
in a pretty predicament : as a civil magistrate how could he 
surrender the city to a hostile force ? He asked the Council's 
advice, and, in the end, addressed a very impertinent note to 
the considerate Commodore, stating that brute force had 
power to do as it pleased, and might come and take the city. 



286 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

This answer, so charncteristic of tlic insolence and vanity 
Vvliich had ])rccipit;ited the revolution, among its paragraphs 
contained the following pathetic reminder of the remarkably 
susceptible and refined naiurj of that "gallant jieople": 

"Sir: You have manifested sentiments Avliicli Avould become one 
enguged ia a better cause than that to wliich you have devoted your 
sword, and I doubt not that tiiey sprung fr,)m a noble thougli deluded 
nature, and I know how to iipijrcciate the emotions which inspired 
tiism. You have a gallant people to administrate during your occu- 
pancy of this city — a people sensitive to all that can, iu the least, af- 
fect their dignity and sc'lf-rcsi)ect. Pray, sir, do not fail to regard 
their susccptiljilities. The obligations which I shall assume in their 
name shall be religiously complied with. You may trust their honor, 
though you might not count on their submission to unmerited 
wrong." 

Butler found it necessary, ore he had been in the city a 
week, to enforce an old local statute against "wonien of the 
town,'' in order to lenrn the wives and daughters of that 
'•gallant and susceptible people" how to behave tliemselves 
in public. In private they never were, np to the day of the 
Confederacy's collapse, anything less than malignant, gross 
and treacherous enemies of peace and law. The man who 
luid a proper conception of the true character of Monroe's 
constituency, male and female, was Benjamin F. Butler, who, 
by the decrees of a propitious fate, was their ruler long 
enousrh to teach them the difference between Northern civili- 
zation and Southern substitutes for it. 

The ships were so disposed in the river to cover as many 
of the public buihlings v»'ith their guns as possible. The 
Mint and Custom-IIouse — both built l)y and belonging to the 
United States Government— were thus saved from .sack and 
destruction. Lovell, on the coming up of Farragut's ships, 
bad fired the long line of shij)s, steamers, schooners and flat- 
boats lying idle along the levee, as well as the vast stores of 
cotton, tobacco and sugar stacked on the quay and stored in 
the warehouses, and their t(;tal destruction followed. The 
loss was immense. It was a terrible holocaust to the grim 
god of insurrection. The chagrined rebel, ere his troops had 



OF THEWAR. 287 

retired from the city wliich he liad failed to defend, doubt- 
less would seek to desti-oj/ all the Government buildings. 
These, therefore, wci'e the special objects of the Commodore's 
care. At six a. m. on the 27th, Captain Morris, whose ship 
commanded the building, proceeded, by Farragut's order, to 
raise the American fljig on the Mint — the first planted on 
the restored property. At ten, two officers, with a marine 
guard, went on shore to unfold the flag from the Custom- 
Ilouse ; but the mob showed such signs of mischief that, by 
the intercession of the Mayor and Common Council, Farra- 
gut was induced to forego his order for the moment. 

During the celebration of divine services on the fleet, on 
the 26lh, the flag already raised on the Mint was torn down 
by a gambler named ^fumforLJ, and dragged through the 
streets amid great rejoicing. The Pensacola promptly fired 
into the mob with a liowitzer, killing one man and vround- 
ing several. Over this "inhuman outrage" the press of tlic 
South became much excited. The editors forgot all about 
the East Tennessee Unionists then hanging by scores from 
roadside trees, because they would persist in fleeing from 
their homes to the mountains to avoid conscription into the 
rebel ranks. "When, a few weeks after, the blackleg who 
committed the outrage was hung, by Butler, for the crime, 
the "martyrdom" v/as commemorated by the most terrible 
imprecations of the Souihern press, while the Confederate 
Executive made it the subject of a special communication to 
bis Congress, and that Con2;ress consummated the gambler's 
immortality by embalming his virtues and nobility of char- 
acter in a special resolution. 

Butlers troops came up the river by transports, and began 
to land May 1st — the first detachment marching to the Cus- 
tom-IIouse to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." Butler him- 
self made quarters at the St. Charles Uotel, which he 
ordered to be reopened for his own and officers' entertain- 
ment. His reign then commenced. 
^7 



XXIX. 

BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE AND INCIDENTS. 

This battle, awa}'- off in the ^Yild country of Northern 
Arkansas, was an affair reflecting great lionor upon the 
Union arms. Major-General Samuel R Curtis was placed, 
by Ilallcck, in command of an armj'' composed of four divi- 
sions — all Western troops, with a large sprinkling of foreign- 
ers. Their work was to drive the rebel horde out of South- 
eastern Missouri, and thus relieve the State of Price and 
McCulloch's " cut-throats " — which their troops truly were. 
A more depraved set of men never trained under any stand- 
ard. They had carried fire and sword through that sec- 
tion of Missouri, and Curtis was ordered not only to 
drive them from the State, but to pursue them into Arkansas, 
and break up, if possible, their organization. March 1st found 
the Federal divisions disposed as follows : Sigel near Benton- 
ville, Davis at Sugar Creek and Carr at Cross Hollows, while 
Curtis, with Asboth's division, was in position on the main 
road from Fayetteville to Springfield at its Sugar Creek 
-crossing — all within easy supporting distance of each other. 

On the 5th of March Curtis learned that the combined 
forces of the enemy, under general command of Earl Van 
Dorn, were moving upon him, from the direction of Boston 
Mountains — south of Fayetteville. Their march had been 
rapid, for, by surprise, the Confederates hoped to out-manoeu- 
vre and crush the Federal "invaders." Van Dorn's command 
consisted of Price s Missourians, about 9000 strong ; Ben 
McCulloch's army, about 13,000 ; Pike's savages, red and 
white, about 7000; and "irregulars" about 5000. The 
rebels, knowing every foot of ground well, strove to get upon 



OF THE WAR. 289 

the Federal rear, unperceivecl, and succeeded. In the per- 
sons of Price's "body guard," composed of two regiments 
and a battalion — the best men in the command — tbe enemy 
made their first appearance on the morning of the 6th, flilling 
upon Sigel's rear guard, as it covered his mov^cment from 
Bentonville to join Curtis at Pea Kidge. This guard, com- 
posed of the Thirty-sixth Illinois and a portion of the Second 
Missouri — in all about 750 men — tbe rebels pressed so 
Leavily as to render a fighting retreat necessary — to whicli 
the admirable soldier was not averse. It was a fine piece of 
diversion and. steady fighting. Said an officer of the regular 
service : 

" Commencing on the morning of the 6th of March by the attack 
of the combined Confederate forces uoou General Sigel's division, 
then stationed at Bentonville, General Sigel sending his train ahead, 
and reserving one battery, with between 800 and 1000 men, commenc- 
ed one of those masterly reti'eats M'hich have already rendered his 
name famous. Planting a portion of his guns, with his infantry to 
sustain them, he would pour the grape and shell into their advancing 
squadrons, until, quailing before the murderous fire, they Avould break 
in confusion. Before they could re-form, Sigel -would limber up and 
fall back behind another portion of his battery, planted at another 
turn in the road. Here the same scene would be gone through with, 
and so on continuously for ten miles. What made this march a more 
difficult achievement was the condition of the roads, which were in 
many places very narrow and badly cut up. This brought General 
Sigel's division to the west end of Pea Hidge,"where he formed a 
junction with Generals Davis' and Carr's divisions. Night coming 
on, strong pickets were placed, the teams corralled and the soldiers 
lay upon their arms. 

"During this day General Curtis was diligently joreparing earth- 
work defenses, cutting timber, etc., to check the progress of the 
enemy along the Fayetteville road, where they were confidently ex- 
pected by- him. During the day and night of the 6th, Van Dorn 
moved his entire forces around the west side of our army. General 
Price occupying the Fayetteville road, north of General Curtis' camp, 
while McCulloch and Mcintosh lay north of General Sigel. The 
Confederate forces fronting south. Price's forces formed their left 
wing. The distance of the main bodies of the two wings of each 
army apart was near three miles, thus forming, in fact, four distinct 
armies. Van Dorn and Price being opposed to General Curtis, who 



290 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

liad Vi'itli liiiii Gc'iicnils Davis', Carr's and Asbotli's divisions, -wliilc 
McCullocli and Mclntosli were opposed to Sigel, who had but one 
division — that of General Orfterliaus. General Curtis was coir.pelicd 
to make a chanye of front. In doing- litis, he willidiew all Ids forces 
from the soutii range of hills, except a few companies to guard the 
Fayetteville road, and placed them almost two miles norlli, their front 
resting on the biow of a range of hills fronting to the north. 

" On the 7lh the battle commenced on the right of our column, and 
raged furiously during the entire day, Colonel Carr's division bearing 
the brunt of it on our side. The Confederatop, owing to their im- 
mensely superior numbers, the numerous and deep ravines, and the 
tliick brush whicli covere<l the hills, succeeded in driving our right 
uiug from the ground occupied in the morning. The loss here was 
severe on both sides, the short range at which the fighting was done 
giving the rebel shot-guns, which v>-ere loaded with from fifteen to 
twenty buckshot each, a great advantage over our more deadly Ijut 
single balls. •* The Confederate forces camped on the battleground, 
"while our right wing fell back aboul from onedialf mile to a mile. 
The entire fighting-ground occupied by this portion of the armies did 
not exceed three-fourths of a mile in diameter. The fighting on the 
left wing this day jiroceeded with various changes, and occupied a 
far greater field, extending over a space of from one and a half ro two 
miles. McCulloch commenced moving his forces to the south anel 
cast, evidently intending to form a junction with Van Dorn and Price, 
and by so doing surround our entire army on three sides, at the same 
time cut oli" totally all hope of retreat of our forces. General Sigel, 
detecting this movement, sent forward three pieces of flying artillery, 
with a supporting force of cavalry, to take a commanding position, 
and delay their movements until tlic infantry could be bro'ight up 
into proper position for an attack. 

" These pieces had hardly obtained their position and opened fire, 
wdien an overwhelming force of the enemy's cavalry came down upon 
them like a whirlwind, driving our cavalry, scattering them, and cap- 
turing the artillery and setting it on fire. Thij onslaught, which was 
made in the most handsome style, allowed their infantry to reach un- 
molested the cover of a dense wood. "West of this wood was a large 
oiDcn field. Here, and in the surrounding wood, a protracted struggle 
ensued between McCulloeh and Osterhaus. General Davis was order- 
ed up to Colonel Osterhaus' assistance, and our forces, thus strength- 
ened, finally routed and drove the enemy in all directions. McCulloeh, 
Mcintosh, and a number of the Confederate officers were killed. 

" Thus, while tlic Confederate forces had been successful on our 
right, we had equally been successful on our left. The morale, hy^y- 



OF THE WAR. 291 

ever, was in our favor — the discipline of our troops enaljling our 
clefoatetl Aving to remain compactly together, while their defeated 
right, owing to their lack of discipline and loss of commanding officers, 
was very much disorganized. 

" During the niglit of the 7th both armies lay upon their arms. Th3 
Confederates, however, managed to form a junction of all their forces 
up(^n tlic ground held by tlieir left wing, which was naturally a po- 
sition of great strength. 

"The morning of the 8th was one of the deepest anxiety on the 
part of our army. Tlie Confederate forces held the only road for our 
retreat. Both armies had drawn tlieir lines close. The woods and 
lulls literally swarmed with foes. The prisoners we had takea 
assured us that the Confederates were perfectly sanguine of capturing 
our entire force, together with all our supplies. They outnumbered 
us three to one; l)esidcs, our men were much exhausted with two 
days' fighting and the loss of sleep — the nights ijeing too cold to sleep 
without fire, and our proximity to tlie enemy and position not allow- 
ing us to build fires along our advance lines. Near a thousand of our 
men were dead or wounded. Both parties were eager for the fray ; 
one, stimulated by an apparent certainty of success and hopes of 
plunder ; the other, determined to conquer or die. 

" The rising sun was saluted with the smoke and roar of cannon. 
Colonel Carr's division w^as strengthened by a large part of Colonel 
Davis' division — thus enabling our right wing 'barely to maintain its 
position. General Sigt 1 having learned the exact position of the 
enemy's batteries, commenced to form his line of battle by changing 
his froat so as to face the right flank of the enemy's position. Proba- 
bly no movement during the war has shown more skill in the disposi- 
tion of forces, or caused as great destruction to the party attacked^ 
with so little loss to the attacking party. He first ordered tlie Twenty- 
fifth Illinois, under the command of Colonel Coler, to take a position 
along a fence, in oi)cn view of the enemy's batteries, which at once 
opened fire upon them. Immediately a battery of six of our guns 
(several of them twelve-pounders, rifled) were thrown into line one 
hundred paces in the rear of our advanced infantry, on a rise of 
ground. The Twelfth Missouri then wheeled into line, with the 
Twenty-fifth Illinois on their left, and another battery of guns was 
similarly disposed a short distance behind them. Then another regi- 
ment and another battery wheeled into position, until thirtj^ pieces 
of artillery, each about fifteen or twenty paces from the other, were in 
a continuous line, with infantry lying down in front. Each piece 
opened fire as it came in position. The fire of the entire line was 
directed so as to silence battery after battery of the enemy. 



292 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

*' Such a terrible fire no human courage conhl stand. The croAvclcJ 
ranks of tlic enemy -were decimated, their linrses shot at tlieir gung, 
large trees literally demolished ; but the rebels stood bravely at tlieir 
post. For two hours and ten minutes did Sigel's iron hail fall, thick 
as auiumn leaves, furious as the avalanche, deadly as the simoom. 
One by one the rebel pieces ceased to play. Onward crept our infant- 
ry ; (mward came Sigel and his terrible guns. Shorter and shorter 
became the range. No charge of theirs could face that iron hail, or 
dare to venture on that comjjact line of bayonets. They turned and 
fled. Again Sigel advanced his line, making another partial change 
of front. Then came the order to charge the enemy in the woods, 
and those brave boys who had lain for hours with the hail and shot 
of the enemy falling upon them, and the cannon of Sigel playing over 
them, rose up and dressed their ranks as if it were but an evening 
parade, and as the 'forward' was given, the Twenty-fifth Illinois 
moved in comi)act line, supporte'd on the left by the Twelfili IMissouri, 
acting as skirmishers, and on the right by the Twenty-second Indiana, 
As they passed into the dense brush they were met by a terrible volley. 
This was answered by one as terrible and far more deadly. Volley 
answered volley ; yet on and on went that line of determined men. 
Steadily they i^ushed the rebel force until they gained more open 
ground. Here the Confederate forces broke in confusion and fled, 
the day was ours, and the battle of Pea Ridge was added to the 
already long list of triumjjhs clustering around the old starry flag." 

The enemy was not only beaten in fair, stubborn figbt, but 
was out-generaled completely ; and the movement first mads 
by Van Dorn — to get on Curtis' left and rear — proved his 
own destruction. Said Curtis, in his official report : " In tho 
evening (of the 7th), the fire having entirely ceased on the 
centre, and there having been none on the left, I re-enforced 
the right by a portion of the Second Division, under General 
Asboth. ' Before the day closed I was convinced that the 
enemy had concentrated his main force on the right. I 
therefore commenced another change of front, forward, so as 
to face the enemy, where he had deployed on m}^ right flanlc, 
in strong position. The change had been only partially 
effected, but was fully in progress, when, at sunrise on tho 
8th, my right and centre renewed tho firing, which was im- 
mediately answered by the enemy, with renewed energy, all 
along the whole extent of the line. My left, under Sigel, 



OF THE WAR. 293 

moved close to the liills occupied by the enemy, driving him 
from the heights, and advancing steadily toward the head of 
the Hollows. I immediately ordered the centre and right 
wing forward, the right turning the left of the enemy and 
cross-firing on his centre. This final position enclosed the 
enemy in the arc of a circle. A charge of infantry, extend- 
ing throughout the whole line, completely routed the whole 
rebel force, which retired in great confusion, but rather safely, 
through a deep and impassable defile of cross timber." 

This desperate two days' contest illustrated the fighting 
qualities of both armies. It was fought, on the J^'ederal side, 
by men largely composed of volunteers, on their first cam- 
paign, who thus, by their valor, endurance and good disci- 
pline, shamed that gigantic army which lay idly disciplining 
on the hills around Washington. Sigel afterwards (March 
Ipth) addressed his soldiers in a strain of compliment and 
enthusiasm for ^vork done which should be read at the same 
time with McClellan's address to his army, March 14th, after 
their "balance" to Centreville and back. We must quote 
from the German's tribute : 

"After so many hardships and sutTerings of this war in the West, 
a great and decisive victory has, fen* the first time, been attained, and 
the army of the enemy overwhehiied and perfectly routed. The i-ebel- 
lious flag of the Confederate States lies in the dust, and the same men 
who had organized armed rebellion at Camp Jackson, Maysville and 
Fayetteville — who have fought against us at Boonsville, Carthage and 
Wilsou's Creek, at Lexington and Milford — have paid the j^enalty of 
their seditious work with their lives, or are seeking refuge .behind the 
Boston Mountains and the shore of the Arkansas river. * * * 

" You have done your duty, and you can justly clairli your share in 
the common glory of the victory. But let us not be partial, unjust or 
haughty. Let us not forget that alone we were too weak to perform 
the great work before us. Let us acknowledge the great services done 
by all the brave soldiers of the Third and Fourth Divisions, and al- 
ways keep in mind that ' united we stand, divided we fall.'' Let us 
hold out and push the work through — not by mere words and great 
clamor, but by good marches, by hardships and fatigues, by strict 
discipline and effective battles. 
, " Columbus has fallen — Memphis will follow ; and if you do in 



294 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

future {13 you have done in these past days of trial, the time will soon 
come when you will pitch your tents on the beautiful shores of tho 
Arkansas river, and there meet our iron-elad propellers at Little Rock 
and Fort Smith. Therefore, keep alert, my friends, and look forward 
"with coniidence." 

The Federal losses, r.s returned and reported to St. Louis, 
March 20th, were: Killed, 203; wounded, 973; missing, 176. 
It was discovered, in going over the battle-field, that Pike's 
Indians had scalped and otherwise mutilated a number of tlie 
dead. Indeed, the savages — they were Christianized Choc- 
taws, Chieksaws and Creeks — did not stay their bloody 
knives over rebel skulls, for several of their own troops wero 
found with their hair " lifted ; "' and their Poet-General was 
only too glad to get rid of the two thousand " braves " whom 
his eloquence and promise of spoils had enlisted in the Con- 
federate service. The Confederates retreated to Boston 
Mountains, wdience they had come, then fell back upon Van 
Buren, ere long to be transferred to the armv of General 
Albert S. Johnston and Peter T. G. Beauregard in Northern 
Mississippi, to assist in staying the victorious arms under 
Grant, which threatened to isolate the country west of the 
Mii^sissippi, and thus sever the Confederacy completely in 
twain. Congress thanked Curtis (March 14th) and his com- 
.mand for their services in the campaign, which had resulted 
so auspiciously. Had tha:t blow been preceded by a decisive 
victojy at Manassas, it must have ended the rebellion — suc- 
ceeded as it was b}^ the fiill of New Orleans and the great 
victories at Pittsburg Landing and Corinth, which left no 
rebel army in that quarter capable of coping with the Union 
arms. In the want of success by the Army of the Potomac 
is the secret of the prolongation of the war through three 
years more of suffering and blood — the armies in the West 
did their duty, faithfully and well. 

Among the numerous incidents of this memorable three 
da3^s' battle-fiekl, as related by correspondents on the ground, 
we may repeat the following : 

" The bursting of shells had set fire to the dry leaves on the ground, 
and the woods were burning in every direction. Efforts were made 



OF THE V/AR. . 295 

to remove the -wounded before tlie flames sliould reach them, and 
nearly all Avere taken to j^laccs of safety. Several were afterwards 
found in secluded spots, some of them still alive, but horribly burned 
and blackened by the conflagration. 

''The rebels, in nearly every instance, removed the shoes from the 
dead and mortally wounded both of their own ariny,and ours. Of all 
the corpses I saw I do not think one-twentieth had been left "with 
their shoes untouched. In some cases pantaloons were taken, and oc- 
casionally an over-coat or a blouse was missing. 

" A large number of the killed among the rebels were shot through 
the head, while the majority of our dead were shot through the 
breast. The rebels, whenever it was possible, fired from cover ; and 
as often as a head appeared from behind a tree or bush, it became a 
mark for our men. The Union troops generally stood in ranks, and, 
except when skirmishing, made no use of objects of lirotection." 

Ko battle-field of the war presented more instances of in- 
dividual courage and personal achievements. One we may 
transcribe, as illustrative of the ferocious spirit which ani- 
mated both parties : 

"While the fight was raging about Miser's farm-house on the ridge 
on Friday morning, a soldier belon-ging to the Twenty-fifth Missouri 
and a member of a Mississippi company became separated from their 
commands, and found each other climbing the same fence. The rebel 
had one of those long knives made of a file, which the South had so 
extensively paraded, but so rarely used, and the Missourian had one 
also, having picked it up on the field. The rebel challenged his ene- 
my to a fair, open combat with the knife, intending to bully him, no 
doubt, and the challenge was promptly accepted. The two removed 
their coats, rolled up their sleeves and began. The Mississippian had 
more skill, but his opponent more strength, and consequently the 
latter could not strike his enemy, while he received several cuts on the 
head and breast.. The blood began trickling rapidly down the 
Unionist's face, and running into his eyes, almost blinded him. The 
Union man l)ecame desperate, for he saw the Secessionist was unhurt. 
He made a feint ; the rebel leaned forward to arrest the blow, but 
employing too much energy, he could not recover himself at once. 
The Missourian perceived his advantage, and knew he could not lose 
it. In five seconds more it would be too late. His enemy glared at 
him like a wild beast; was on the eve of striking again. Another 
feint, another dodge on the rebel's part, and then the heavy blade of 
the Missourian hurtled through the air, and fell with tremendous 
force upon the Mississippian's neck. The blood spurted from the 



296 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

throat, nnd the head fell over, almost entirely severed from the body. 
Ghastly sight — too ghastly oven for the doer of the deed ! He fainted 
at the spectacle, weakened by the loss of his own blood, and Avas soon 
after butchered by a Seminole wlio saw l)im sink to tiie earth." 

And another case, in which the liated Indians were tho 
sufferers, also affords a simiLar instance of the animus which 
inspired the Western men in their contest with their fero- 
cious enemy: " One of the Kinth Missouri was so enraged 
on the second day, seeing his brotlier, a member of the same 
regiment, horribly butchered ajid scalped, that he sw'ore ven- 
geance against the Indians, and for the remainder of the day 
devoted his attention entirely to them, concealing himself 
behind trees and fighting in their fashion. An excellent 
marksman, he would ofien creep along the ground to obtain 
a better range, and then woe to the savage who exposed any 
part of his bod3^ Though ever following the wily foe, and 
though fii-ed upon again and again, he received not a scratch, 
and on his return to camp, after night-fall, bore witli him 
nine scalps of aboriginal warriors, slain by liis own hand to 
avenge his brother's death." 

Such incidents, though painful to contemplate, M^ere in- 
evitable, from the very natui-e of the case. An enemy who 
could bring on the field several thousand Indians, to butcher 
and scalp the wounded, could not expect to be treated with 
the usage of Christian warfare; and we are rather surprised 
that the feeling of retaliation did not go further than to be 
revenged on the field of battle. No instance occurred, we 
believe, of rcialiaiion after the conflict was over and the 
victory won. What would have been the result if* the 
enemy had triumphed may be surmised from what did take 
place on the nights of the first and second day, when the 
Union wounded were stri[)pL'd, wheneN'^er found, and scalped, 
when discovered by the Indians. 



XXX. 

THE BATTLE OF THE IRON-CLADS. 

A NEW era in modern warfare was initiated when the cele- 
brated Mtrrimac and Monitor closed in conflict, and, after a 
four hours' fight, with guns of heavy calibre, drew off com- 
paratively uninjured. It was a proof of the resistant power 
of an iron niail and of the ability to adapt it to vessels of war. 
This demonstrated fact quite mvolutionized the theory and 
art of naval batteries ; and, as such, the contest of the two 
vessels named excited the most profound interest in Europe, 
as well as in our midst 

The honor of constructing the first operating iron-clad be- 
lonir:3 to the Confederates, for even before the Merrimac was 
in servic6, in lier new estate, the rebels had construeted and 
brou2;ht into use iron steam batteries and a "ram" at New 
Orleans and ou the Mississippi river. It is true that the 
flotilla ordered by Fremont, in the fall of 1861, coiitem[)lated 
steamers with iron plated upper works; and that Foote's 
ilotilla, o}X!rati:ig at Foris Henry and Donelson, early m 
February, 1862, embraced several boats thickly plated above 
water line ; but, no thoroughly impregnable craft was afloat 
until the Merrimac and Monitor experiments — the latter 
growing out of the former, as a naval necessity or counter- 
poise. 

At the special session of the Federal Congress, July, 1861, 
the Secretary of the Kavy called especial attention to the 
eubject of iron-clad vessels, antl $1,500,000 was appropriated 
for the experiment, as it was tlu-n regarded. In answer to 
the Department's advertisement for proposals, August 6ih, 
1861, seventeen propositions were filed — of which the cxam- 
iBin^ board selected throe for a test— among tbcni tlic plan 
"^ 38 



298 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of Captain John Ericsson, of New York — the well-known 
inventor of tlie screw or propeller engine, tlie caloric engine, 
etc., etc. As soon as the necessary papers coald be drawn 
out and signed, the Ericsson ii'on stfiani battery was contract- 
ed for (October 4th, 1861). This vessel was launched Janu- 
ary 80th, and ordered to be completed with all possible haste, 
*' as the Merrimac is nearly ready at Norfolk, and we wish to 
send her there," telegraphed the Secretary of the Navy to the 
Monitors constructors. 

This Merrimac was the United States steam frigate of the 
same name, which at the genei'al destruction of the Gosport 
Nav^y Yard, April 20th, 1861, was fired and sunk,^ but not 
destroyed. She was a magnificent craft— probably one of 
the finest naval structures afloat — whose needless abandon- 
ment had been a source of mortification to the U. S. navy. 
The frigate was injured in her upper works by the incendi- 
ary fire, but her hull was well preserved \ and the rebel 
Government, at the suggestion of eminent mechanics, deter- 
mined to raise and use the wreck as the substructure for a 
naval iron shot- proof steam battery. June 10th, the Confed- 
erate War Department directed Lieutenant John W. Brooke 
to prepare specifications for "an iron-clad war vessel," and 
that officer soon submitted his plans — having previously 
canvassed the subject and brought it to the attention of the 
rebel Government. Ilis general designs were approved, and 
from them sprung the " monster" which, on March 8ih, moved 
unscathed around Hampton Roads under fire of the heaviest 
guns, carrying destruction before her, invulnerable in her 
iron armor and irresistible in her })owers for harm. Afarch 
9th witnessed her discomfiture, however, by a craft a pigmy 
in size but as resistless as a thunderbolt. The Federal Navy 
Department had not been un watchful of the rebel experi- 
ment, but had so 'anticipated its results as to produce a work 
more full of novelty and more effective as an agent of de- 
fense or of attack. 

This vessel, rechristened by the Confederate Navy Depart- 
ment the Virginia^ after having been announced for several 



OF THE WAR. 299 

weeks as ready, finally made her advent, on the morning of 
March 8th, in the Hampton Roads waters, accompanied by 
two armed steamers as tenders — the two steamers also l^eing 
stolen property. Having hove in sight the Merrimac at once 
made for the old wooden frigate Congress^ and the sloop-of- 
war Cumberland, which, for weeks, had been lying off the 
mouth of Elizabeth liver, awaiting the appearance of the 
" new fangled concern," on which they might try the power 
of their heavy guns. The Cumberland rode at anchor, off 
Newport News, about three hundred yards from shore, and 
the Congress, also at anchor, lay about two hundred yards to 
the south. The first-named, having a very heavy armament 
of 9 and 10-inch Dahlgren guns and a crew of about 450 men, 
was the most formidable antagonist; -at her the Merrimac 
drove, bearing down past the Congress, giving her a broadside 
as she passed, in reply to the frigate's own guns, which 
opened when the "crocodile" came within range. The 
broadside showed the Merrimac s armament to be heavy, and 
the range being short, the shot did great damage. Direct 
upon the Cumberland — which her commander. Lieutenant 
Geo. M. Morris, had warped so as to use her broadside guns 
• — the iron-clad bore, the rain of shot and shell from the 
frigate's heavy pieces dropping from her ribbed roof like 
pebbles. One bow gun from the Merrimac answered, the 
solid shot tearing through the frigate's bulwarks and killing 
five men. Six or eight broadsides the old war-ship put into 
her antagonist with little effect, when the crisis came. At 
full speed the Merrimac s "ram" struck the frigate under the 
bluff of the port bow, starboard of the main chains, opening 
a hole below water line, about four feet in diameter, while 
the upper works were crushed by the iron-clad's stem. This 
shock was quickly followed by the enemy's bow and quarter 
guns, which added to the first consternation by a most ap- 
palling slaughter on the thickly-manned decks of the ship. 
Ten men at one gun were torn in pieces, and the dead and 
dying strewed the whole upi)er flcjoK Yet, not a moment 
did the sloop's guns intermit their almost harmless thunder ; 



800 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

amid the shrieks of horror Lelow decks and pain above, the 
shouts of command, and the rush of waters into the mortal 
wound in the Imll, the men fought on, with not a thought 
of surrender. Slowly the Merriraac drew off, still deliberate- 
ly delivering her terrible fire, making the bloody boards 
more ensanguined at every discharge. It was a hideous 
Golgotha of human sacrifice, which the soul shudders to con- 
template. The flow of water into the hold put the ship's 
bows down. In five minutes' time it was up to the sick bay 
on the berth deck. There lay those too ill to help them- 
selves, and the wounded and dying first brought in from 
above — all to see the waters coming up slowly around them, 
and to count the minutes of their doom. , It soon came. 
With a slight stagger the vessel settled ; the water had filled 
all below the gun deck, and the hundred suflerers were at 
peace. Still, the roar and din of battle went on above. Gun 
answered gun in rapid succession, only to add to the horror 
of that carnival of slaughter. There was no 3-ield to the 
frenzied crew, who saw death before them and under them 
without a thought of it. At half-past three, with a heavy 
lurch to port, the noble old ship went down, head first, the 
after guns firing a salute, as they disappeared beneath the 
waves, to the stars and stripes vrhich disappeared with tl>om. 
All the dead and wounded went down ; and of those still at 
work upon the decks less than half were rescued by the 
small botits which at once put off from shore. Of the four 
hundred and fifty, not one-third lived to know that the story 
of their glory was repeated by every loyal tongue in the 
land. 

The Congress, meanwhile, was kept in range both by the 
Merrhna'-s guns and by those of her steam tenders, the 
Jamestown and Patrick Henry, and suffered to some extent, 
but kept her guns in plaj'. But, perceiving the result to the 
sloop-of-war, the frigate made tor shallow water, by the aid 
of the little gunboat Zouave, and grounded within easy reach 
of the Merrhnac's guns. As a consequence the decks were 
raked fore and aft by the latter, while one of the steam tenders 



OF THE "WATw. 801 

kept up a sharp fire on the frigate's starboard quarter. Every 
piece was finally disabled; tbe ship being on fire, and Lieu- 
tenant Commanding Joseph B. Smith, killed, Lieutenant 
Pendergast, second in command, hauled down the flag to 
save further slaughter. The ship at once was boarded by 
an officer from the Ifern'mac, but, his tug being fired upon 
by rifles on the shore, after receiving Pendcrgast's sword, he 
returned to the iron-clad, and she again opened her guns, 
with solid shot and shell, upon the helpless frigate, at the 
same time shelling the shore from whence the rifle-shots had 
come. After a few shots, she steamed away to close in with 
the steam frigate Minnesota, which, in running up to share 
in the conflict, had grounded three miles away, and about 
seven miles above Fortress Monroe. The fear of also touch- 
ing bottom doubtless kept the Merriniac from the contem- 
plated rush She fired at a distance with but slight effect — 
only one shot perforating the frigate's bows. The Patrick 
Ilenrij and t/amesioivn, however, taking position on the Min- 
nesota's port bow and stern, did consideral:)lc damage with 
their rifled pieces, but were soon driven off by the Union 
tars' fine gunnery, not before doing much damage, killing 
six and wounding nineteen of the crew. About seven o'clock, 
satisfied widi her day's work, the iron enemy drew off to 
recuperate for her morrow's task, which now seemed to be 
to clear Hampton Poads of every craft afloat. Then she 
could steam away up the Potomac to carry destruction even 
up to the Federal capital. 

There were heavy hearts in and around the Poads that 
night. Not a person, from Flag Ofiicer Marston down, who 
did not realize their utter helplessness before the invulnera- 
ble power of that single craft. Daylight would, doubtless, 
witness the destruction of the noble Minnesota; then the 
frigates Roanoke and St. Lawrence must follow her fate or 
run away — a contingency none deemed possible, for all had 
determined to fight their ships to the death. Even Lieuten- 
ant Pendergast was blamed for hauling down his flag — so 
fiery was the spirit which animated all hecn'ts. 



802 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The Congress burned fiercely after her abandonment, anli 
blew up with a terrific explosion about midnight, the shot 
and shell from her still loaded guns flying in every direction 
ns one after another exploded. One shell struck a sloop 
lying at Newport News, and blew her up. The loss on the 
Congress was about one hundred and fifty — one third of her 
■entire ci-ew. 

Now happened one of those happy surprises which men 
are wont to pronounce "Providences." When all minds 
yere fullest of apprehension, and it seemed as if the National 
Navy was to be vanquished by a single adversary, a queer 
craft appeared in the offing — something like a smoke-house 
on a raft, which steamed in at a good rate, and soon announc- 
ed herself as the Ericsson battery — the Monitor — ready for 
service. It was an opportune arrival — one which saved not 
only the national honor, but a destruction which must have 
proved incalculable if not counteracted — "neutralized," as 
General McClellan had it. By Flag Officer Maretou's order, 
Lieutenant John L, Worden, in command, took his strange 
craft up alongside the Minnesota^ where she lay, a most wel- 
come friend, though untried. 

Early on Sunday morning the Merrimac again made her 
appearance, from behind Sewall's Point. Tlie Minnesota was 
still hard aground. The iron-clad steamed past, by the far- 
ther channel, ran down near to the Rip-Raps, then turned up 
and steei'ed for the steam frigate, whose heavy stern guns 
gave her a salute. Then the Monitor — the "cheese-box," as 
the tars called the naval curiosity — ran down to meet the 
coming teri-or. It was the old story of David and Goliath, 
only somewhat metamorphosed and modernized. Tlie rebel 
giant saw her new antagonist and flung a shot at her in de- 
rision, advising the nondescript craft to get out of ihe way. 
The Monitor on'y answered by placing herself between the 
Merrimac and the frigate. On the rebel iron-clad came, when 
the "cheese-box" announced her quality by a single shot 
from one of her two turret 11-inch rifled guns, throwing a 
solid cast iron ball weighing one hundred and seventy-five 



OF TIIE WAK. 803 

pounds. This tremendous projectile striking the water near 
the Confederate, at once caused her to turn in earnest upon 
the little antagonist. The two batteries nearcd each other, 
and soon were shrouded in the smoke of one of the most re- 
markable of all modern naval contests. The Mcrrimac, with 
her broadsides thundered away at the single turret, ^^j^iicli 
kept its two guns constantly trained on the enemy; but, that 
revolving cupola was as impregnable as Iron Mountain, 
Around and around the rebel did Worden work his battery, 
seeking to pierce port-holes, to strike the propeller or rudder, 
to penetrate beneath the water line of the Mcrrimac, firing 
with great deliberation. The enemy could not co}')e wiili 
this alert and nimble adversary, and essaj^ed to run the little 
craft down, but only once succeeded in striking hei" mailed 
decks. The Monitor was not to be rode down, nor to be per- 
forated, nor to be driven off; but, not to be thwarted of his 
prey, the noble Minnesota, the Confederate captain strove to 
pass the Federal champion, and turned his guns upon the 
frigate. Captain Van Brunt was not idle nor did he ceaso 
his blows. He at once opened all his broadside guns and a 
10-inch pivot — a broadside which, he said, "would have 
blown out of water any timber built ship in the Avorld." The 
iron-clad was not injured, but sent, in return, a shell from 
her rifled bow gun, which crashed through the Minnesota 
with fearful havoc, setting the ship on fire, Avhich, however, 
was soon extinguished. A second shot pierced the gunboat 
Dragon, lying at the frigate's side, and exploding her boiler. 
Van Brunt said : 

"I had concentrated upon her an incessant fire from my gun deck, 
Sjjar deck and forecastle pivot guns, and was informed by my marine 
officer, who was stationed on the poop, that at least fifty s )lid shot 
struck her on her slanting side without producing any apparent eft'ect. 
By the time slie liad fired lier third shell the little Monitor \\m\ come 
down upon her, placing licrself between us, and compelled her to 
change her position, in doing which she grounded, and again I poured 
into her all the guns wliich could be brought to bear upon her. As 
soon as she got off she stood down the bay, the little battery cliusing 
her with all speed, when suddenly the Mcrrimac turned around and 



804 IXCIDEXTS AND ANECDOTllS 

ran full speed intolicr nntagonist. For a moment I was anxkius ; but 
instantly I saw a shot plunge into tlic iron roof of tlic Merrimac, which 
surelj- must have damaged her, for some time after the rebels concen- 
trate<l their whole battery upon the tower and pilot-house of the • 
Monitor, and soon after the latter stood down for Fortress Monroe, 
and Me thought it probable she liad exhausted her supply of ammu- 
uition or sustained some injury. Soon after the Merrimnc and the two 
other steamers headed for my ship, and I then felt to the fullest extent 
my condition. I was hard and immovably aground, and they could 
take position under my stern and rake me. I had expended most of 
my solid sl'.ot, and my ship was badly crippled and my officers and 
men were worn out with fatigue; but, even in this extreme dilemma, 
I determined never to give up the ship to the rebels; and, after con- 
su-lting my officers, I ordered every preparation to be made to destroy 
the ship after all hope was gone to save her. On ascending the poop 
deck I observed that the enemy's vessels liad changed their course 
and were heading for Craney Island. Then I determined to lighten 
the ship by throwing overboard my 8-inch guns, hoisting out provi- 
BJons, starting water, etc." 

Van Brunt was mistaken in assuming tbat the Monitor 
hauled off fn-st. She so cripjiled her enemy as to compel 
the Merrimac to make for SewalFs Point, pursued by the 
" cheese-box ; " but, as the orders were to act solely on the 
defensive, she soon withdrew, seeing that the battle was won. 
The rebel iron-clad was taken in tow by two tugs, and that 
was her last appearance, save in the distance, under protec- 
tion of the heavy guns of the shore batteries. 

AYorden was injured by the last broadside Avhich Captain 
Jones sent against the turret and pilot-house — in the latter 
of which the Monitor commander stood, directing the evolu- 
tions of liis vessel and ordering the gunners in the turret, 
with which he held communication by speaking tubes. 
Looking through the lattice of his house at the moment a 
heavy shot struck it squarely, his eyes were fdled with the 
fine dust of iron, and the concussion knocked him senseless. 
But the fight was over ; and when his consciousness returned 
soon aftci;, finding the guns silent, he asked: "Ilave I saved 
the frigate ? " " Aye, and whipped the Merrimac ! '' " Then 
I care not what becomes of me." His eyes never recovered 



OF THE WAR. 805 

from that awful concussion, which filled them with the im- 
pal[);il)lo Uust of iron. ]3ut, the iMcrrtniac was "neutralized," 
and lie was content, having done his dutj^, and given to the 
world the first practical demonstration of the resi^^tant powers 
of an iron-chad. Thereafter the navies of Europe were to be 
revolutl(Miized. Out of that successful trial grew the fleet of 
IMonitors and iron-clads which soon rendered the American 
navy the most powerful in the v/orld — more powerful, at 
one time, tlian the navies of France and England combined; 
and from that moment may we clearly date a growing re- 
spect for us, as a power, never before felt by European 
monarchs. 



XXXI. 

the peninsula campaign and the seven 
days' contest. 

The story of McClellan's "Peninsula Campaign" and 
"Siege of Richmond" forms one of the most stirring and 
mortifying chapters of the whole history of the war — stirring 
from the nature of the movement and the grand proportions 
of the armies engaged ; and mortifying in the result. But, 
without here entering upon the question of the merits and 
demerits of the movement by way of Yorktown and the 
Chickahominy, we may find in some of the events of the field 
commanded by McClellan, matter enough for a most interest- 
ing chapter of incidents and anecdotes. 

The siege of Yorktown was inaugurated after the repulse 
of McClellan's advance, at the Warwick river defenses, April 
5th, 6th. The enemy's force behind the defenses, and in 
Yorktown, then was, according to Magruder's ofiicial report, 
eleven thousand. McClellan's strength on the ground was 
fifty-five thousand — soon increased to eighty-five thousand ; 
'69 2a2 ' - 



306 INCIDENTS A N I) ANECDOTES 

but, HO dash was tliouglit of, and the "siege" was inaugurat- 
ed \'\ sending to Washington for lieavy siege ordnance and 
ordering out the ".^pade brigades." For tvveijt3M)dd da3'-s 
the ai-iay dug in the mire of the Warwick river bogs and on 
May 2d liad gained positions fi'oni which to bondjard ^'ork- 
town. All these three weeks of exhausting labor in the 
trenches by the Federal ann}- were accompanied hx <laily 
adventuies of sharpshooters and scouts — some of whicli read 
bkc j-omanee. Each party vied wiUi the other in daring and 
watchfulness, and many a noble fellow was sacrificed in the 
effort to maintain his flag's honor. At length the siege guns 
were ready to open fire. Sixty odil heavy pieces were in 
position, whose concentric fire would have destroyed, in six 
Lours, a defense many times stronger than Yorktown pos- 
sessed. So the enemy knew. Davis and Johnston and the 
rebel Secretary of AVar were on the ground ; and, when the 
last hour came, they ordered the stronghold's evacuation. 
On the morning of May 4th, when the gieat guns were to 
open, it was discovered that the defenses were tenantless — ■ 
the enemy gone ! Yorktown was won, but Eichmond was 
lost, for the three weeks spent by the Army of the Potomac 
in the swamps, digging for victory, was used hj the enemy 
to gaiher at their endangered capital forces sufficient for its 
proper fortification and protection. The stay at Yorktown 
was the pi'ime error which lost the invading army the cam- 
paign. Had McClellan left Yorktown by passing to its left 
up the James, or to its right up Mobjack baj-, he must have 
been in Richmond by the middle of April, since no force of 
the enemy liien there, could have repelled his victorious 
march. This prime error would have caused his sus|)ension 
from command, in the French, English, Austrian or Russian 
service; but \\\^ political influences at Washington, which 
bore on the President, were so strong and so dangerous by 
threatening disorder if McClellan was removed, that he was 
permitted to push on after the emnny. 

The pursuit was too slow for injury to the retiring foe. 
Stoneman's cavalry alone dashed out up the Peninsula, on 



OF THE WAR. GOT 

tlic -ith, to find Longstrcet's grand division read}-, at Wil- 
liamsburg, to retard McClcllan's advance. The terrific battle 
of Williamsburg followed, on the 5tli, when parts of the two 
corps of Sumner and Ileintzelman fought all day — each corps 
*'on its own hook," and without concert or co-operalioii. By 
occui)ying a hastily constructed line of earthworks, Long- 
street made an obstinate defense. Ilookers division of 
Ileintzelman's command sustained a tremendous loss, and 
was only saved from total discomfiture, by the arrival of 
Kearney's division during the afternoon of the 5th. As 
Williamsburg is only about twelve miles from Warwick 
river, where the bulk of McClellan's forces were massed, ihis 
delay to march to the front illustrates the exceedingly loose 
manner in which the entire campaign was conducted. There 
was no unity, no soh'dan'te, in the movement of the army 
during the entire period of McClellan's command, and its 
fortunes suffered according] 3-. 

In the advance upon Williamsburg, Hooker's division 
took the left approach, by the Lee's ^lill road. The corps 
of Sumner took the direct front approach on the Yoi'ktown 
road. Hooker got into position early on the morning cf the 
5th. On his front was the mud fort, Magruder, mounting 
six guns — the right of the rebel line of defenses, which, by 
redoubts and rifle-pits, stretched away across the narrow neck 
of land to Queen's creek. By staying McClellan's march 
one da}-, at that point, the enemy could effect their safe re- 
treat, and secure the safety of iheir trains; hence the obsti- 
nacy of Longstrcet's resistance, and his attempt to turn the 
Federal right held by Hooker. 

Hooker opened the battle at To- o'clock A. M., on the 5th, 
by an advance out of the woods, to the left of Fort Magruder, 
which he proposed, first to silence then to assault. At first 
all promised well, for his artillery did good service, but, it 
soon became evident that he had a powerful enemy on his 
front. The Confederctes, by 10 o'clock, took the offensive, 
and pressed the division's left, to turn it. Heintzelman hav- 
ing gone to Sumner's headquarters for conference and co-ope- 



808 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ration, left Hooker to manage affairs, -which the division 
commander did not fail to do with an activity which at once 
characterized him as a man of remarkable parts. On his 
front, between his men and the fort, was a space of five hun- 
dred feet, covered with an abattis of felled timber. To the 
edge of this Webber's battery was planted, and over this 
battery the battle raged with unmitigated fury for six long 
hours. Said a correspondent : " The battle raged with des- 
perate courage on the edge of the woods, in front of the 
abattis, in the infernal abattis itself, and through it^ up to the 
rifle-pits, and beyond them, and finally, with triumph, into 
one of the forts. The only ground on which we could use 
artillery was a small angle of the corn-field, where the road 
deboaches upon the plain, and which our infantry had clean- 
ed of the rebels to admit of our gunners wading with their 
pieces into position. No sooner were these unlimbered, than 
men and horses began to fall — the recoil of the guns soon 
buried them almost to the hubs in the soft earth — down went 
more men and more horses — the enemy made a dash at the 
batteries, and they were lost." 

Hearing this heavy fire Heintzelman made his way back 
to his command, to find the condition of things very threat- 
ening. Having foiled to induce Samner to a co-operative 
movement by conjoining him and assisting in the assault, 
the corjjs commander started messengers back to hasten for- 
ward Kearney's division. As hour after hour passed and no 
help came, it seemed to Heintzelman as if he indeed was to 
be left to his fate. Only a mile to the right was Smith's di- 
vision — all unemployed, save Hancock's brigade, which had 
taken possession of one of the enemy's empty redoubts. 
Early in the afternoon, Hooker was doomed to see his ammu- 
nition expended, and regiment after regiment become com- 
paratively helpless before the tenacious pressure of Long- 
street's veterans. Two New Jersey regiments — Seventh and 
Eighth — discouraged and exhausted, sought to leave the 
front, and for a moment a disintegration of the lines threat- 
ened. Throusfh the menacing attitude of Averill's Third 



i 



OF THE \7AR. 809 

Pennsylvania cavalry they were brought to a halt and re- 
formed, to face that terrible (ire to which they could not 
Veply. But, they could not stand the ordeal ; and, again 
breaking, they began to fill the woods. Ileintzelinan, having 
dispatched most of his siafF as successive and hasty messen- 
gers for help, called for an escort from Averill's troopers and 
attempted to stay the defection. Assisted by the bayonets 
of a Massachusetts regiment, he was successful in regathering 
his men. His efforts to hold his line were such as to rein- 
spire his disheartened force, while Ilooker, growing more 
unflinching with the crisis, seemed, by his bearing and words, 
to till the air with messengers of death which his empty 
muskets and lost artillery failed to evoke. 

Yet no help! Where were the tardy brigades ? Where 
the impetuous Kearney, who ever found all races too slow 
when they led to battle? Through and through the woods 
flew the hail of the enemy s musketry — the fierce rush of 
their cannon-shot and shell. It was a bloody sacrifice of hu- 
man life to tarry there longer — why, then, wait? " Shall we 
retire ? " said Ileintzelman to Hooker. " Ho sir ! " was the 
response; "if we must fall, let those responsible for it be 
made to answer: we can not leave this post." "Just my 
view," said the corps commander, as he turned away, in- 
stinctively looking to the rear, from whence the expected 
aid was to come. 

It came ! First, a faint huzza far in the rear — heard above 
the rattle of musketry and the booming of hostile guns. 
Then it came nearer — the shouts of a brigade. Ileintzelman, 
waving his wounded arm above his head, answered with a 
wild shout of welcome. "Here, musicians, where are you? 
Gather them quick ! " he shouted ; and then, as they came 
forward— the scattered members of several bands — he cried : 
" Give us Yankee Boodle, boys ! " and the woods echoed 
with the glad strain as the brigade of Berry, of Kearney's 
division, came tramping into the circle of fire. It was a mo- 
ment of intense joy ; and the music of the band, the din of 
conflict, were drowned in the huzzas which leaped from every 



310 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

mail's lips. "On to tlic front, Berry !" thundered Ileintzel- 
man — not tlic old man eloquent, b.U ihc old man invincible; 
and, without a moment's dela}-, led hy Uooker, the brii^adc, 
•which had outstripped its companions in the excessively fa- 
tiguing march through mud and rain, advanced to the edge 
of the wood, taking up a line half a mile in length. Its firo 
for half an hour was almost continuous. The rebels in the 
felled timber withdrew before it, and sought the cover of the 
earthworks beyond. " Now for the charge, boys ! " :ind the 
i^'ifth Michigan, supported by the Tlnrtj^-sevcnth New York, 
rushing over the cumbered plain, carried the line of rifle-pits 
and one of the redoubts on their front at the boyonet's point 
Again and again the Confederates tried to regain their lost 
position, but in vain. There were sixty-three rebel dead 
counted in that batter}^ after the assault. 

Berry was soon followed by Kearney with the brigades of 
Jameson and Birney — the rest of his division. At four 
o'clock, literally blackened with mud and steaming with the 
still falling rain, they came up and went into the fight, giving 
relief to Hooker's exhausted, decimated regiments. Dark- 
ness saw the enemy completely driven to the cover of his 
entrenchments, and the two divisions lit their fires in the 
woods, to gather strength for the morrow's work. 

The fight on Sumner's front was of a somewhat desultory 
nature. In the conference of the morning Ileintzelman had 
suggested the occupation of the redoubt discovered by St(mG- 
man's cavalry in their reconnoissancc to have been unoccu- 
pied. This was done — Hancock's brigade of Smith's division, 
moving cautiously over a dam into the position indicated. It 
was found vacated, as also was the redoubt adjoining, which 
Ilancock at once occupied. Only the enemy's weakness 
could have induced him to leave these imjjortant works with- 
out proper garrisons. Ilancock sent for re-enforcements to 
press his advantage against a third work, which would have 
enabled him to take in reverse the division then pressing 
Hooker so furiously. Here was the second mistake of the 
day. Twice Sumner ordered Smith forward with the rest 



\ 



OF THE WAR. 811 

of liis division to acliievc tlic important conquests so evident- 
ly opened to tliem ; but twice lie changed his mind, "fearing 
to weaken his centre," as the General-in-Chief said. Instead 
of au advance, Sumner ordered Hancock to abandon his 
second work and retire to the first. The enemy, meanwhile, 
Laving discovered his presence and their loss, began to move 
on his front. As his rear and right flank were exposed, the 
Brigade General found his situation one of hazard to his 
command. Uc fell back with safety, after some manoeuvring, 
upon his first position, which he resolved to hold. The 
rebels evidently had resolved to drive him out of the work. 
Seeing this eagerness of his adversaiy, Ilancock feigned to 
withdraw, and brought the Confederates out of their rifle-pits 
to the assault. That was the propitious moment. Halting 
and closing ranks, the Federal regiments rapidly delivered 
several volleys; then, led by the General in person, they 
rushed, with bayonet set, upon the surprised foe, dispersing 
them in disorder, killing, wounding and capturing over five 
hundred of the discomfited Confederates. This happy ruse 
gave him undisturbed possession of the work. 

McCIellan having remained in Yorktown to organize for 
the general advance, and to push on the divisions assigned 
to the advance by way of West Point, was not advised of the 
state of affairs in the front until one P. M. (Monday), when he 
at once arranged to ride to the scene of conflict. He arrived 
on the ground about half-past four. Seeing what every 
biigade commander had seen — the singular want of co-opera- 
tion between the two corps — he ordered Sumner's centre to 
advance to the edge of the wood, toward Heintzelman's posi- 
tion, while Smith's remaining brigade, with Naglee's regi- 
ments, were ordered to support Hancock — both orders which 
should have been issued four hours earlier. The attempt to 
communicate and connect with Heintzelman was frustrated 
by the marshy nature of the ground beyond the woods ia 
which Sumner's forces were gathered. The assistance to 
Hancock came too late, for he had met and repulsed the 
enemy on his front. The General said : " Night put an end 



81^ INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

to the operations here, and all the troops who had been en- 
gaged in this contest slept on the muddy field, without shel- 
ter, and many without food." That such men should have 
spent a second night in that pitiable plight, without food, is 
not to the credit of those whose duty it was to see them fed. 
It was, we believe, ever the fate of McClellan's army to suffer 
from short rations upon all occasions of unusual activity and 
exposure. 

Preparations made for the morrow's work were rendered 
needless, for, having accomplished the design of holding the 
Federal advance in check, Johnston withdrew his entire 
command from the Williamsburg defenses, and, by a night- 
march, passed them up and over the Chickahominy m safety. 
Colonel Averill, with a strong cavalry force, pursued as soon 
as ihe retreat was discovered, on Tuesday morning, but, th© 
condition of the roads rendered it impossible to overtake the 
rebel rear. lie picked up large numbers of exhausted Con- 
federates, some guns abandoned in the omni|)resent mud, 
and returned to AVilliamsburg. 

All the severely wounded, about one thousand, the enemy 
left behind, to ^McClellan's provident care. The sixteen 
rebel surgeons left with them were treated with every con- 
sideration. The Federal losses were severe. McClellan re- 
ported them as : killed, 456; wounded, 1400 ; missing, 372; 
total, 2228. But the exposure and privations of the men 
placed great numbers on hospital list. Had it not been for 
the determined resolution and provident care of that Soldier's 
Best Friend — the United States Sanitaiy Commission — the 
sufferings of wounded and sick must have been incalculable. 
During the entire Pcnin>ula campaign that Commission 
acted a part whose beneficence ordy the thousands of re- 
lieved sufferers can realize. The sick list, growing out of 
the severe labor in the trenches before Yorktown, and the 
exposure on the Williamsburg march and battles, placed 
over eight thousand men under the physicians' hands. The 
prospects, therefore, of a campaign during the summer 
months, in the miasmatic regions of the Chickahominy, cer- 



OF THE WAR. 313 

talnlj were encouraging for tlie enemy ; and, it may lievc be 
said, the continual additions to McClellan's force during the 
months of May and June, scarcely sufficed to cover tlic de- 
pletion of the ranks by sickness alone. The appalling list 
of deiid which would attach to any complete i"eport of that 
fatal experiment in the Chickahominy swamps, would show 
as many victims to fever as to the bullet. 

The advance from "Williamsburg was the second gi'and. 
error of the campaign. Instead of pursuing the road along 
the James river and depending on his ability to hold it, the 
General -in-Chief of the Army of the Potomac chose the route 
of the Chickahominy, making his depot of supplies fit White 
House, on the Pamunkey, from whence ran a railroad to the 
rebel capital This choice again threw him in the swamps, 
where fever was king, and com}:K3lled the occupancy of a line 
ever seven miles in k'n^iJh lie I'eaehed Bottom's bridge on 
the 21st, and threw over the river a section of his forces, 
consisting of Ileintzelinan's and Kcj^es' two corps, who were 
ordered to take position — the first named at a pojnt called 
Fair Oaks, and the second named at the Seven Pines, on the 
direct road to Richmond. These two positions, alx)ut two 
miles ai^art, were the same distance in advance of the Chiek- 
ahominj^ Advancing to the points indicated, thej'- proceed- 
ed to throw up earth-works and io \)rcpar<i for holding the 
ground. Strangely enough, no enemy seriously disputed' 
this occupanc3^ Heavy I'e-enforcements were massnig ni; 
Bichmond, however — if a few days could be granted to the 
rebel leaders to get them on the flckL These few days were 
given; for, instead of 2)assing the Chickahominy in force, the 
corps of Sumner, Franklin and Porter, with Stoneman s cav-, 
airy, all went into jx>sition on the north side of the stream, 
wJiick McClellan then proceeded to bridge in numerous 
places, as preparatory to a grand advance — on some future 
day ! Did madness possess the man thus to give the enemy 
ii77ie to gather his hosts, to strengthen liis defenses, to cen- 
tralize his strength upon that one point? 

Taking advantage of heavy floods, which swept away the 
40 2b 



S14 INCIDENTS AND A N K C D O T L' 3 

bridge;?, tlic Confederates fell upon Casey's division, lioldinrj 
the advance at Fair Oaks, and a savage battle nas thcro 
fought, Jifay 81st, by winch Casey was dreadfully ''■ j)unish- 
ed," and his brigades almost cut in pieces. Late in tlic.after- 
noon Sumner's corps succeeded in crossing by the only bridge 
remaiiung, and thus saved an overwhelming disaster, by well 
repulsing the enemy. The battle raged along the entii-e lino 
from Ileintzelman's left to Keyes' right, and night found the 
fortunes of the field restored. The battle was resumed Juno 
1st, at daybreak. No more re-enforcements could cross to 
Sumner's aid, for the swollen stream was impassable, yet the 
three corps fought all day, unaided. The rebels were hand- 
somely defeated, and retreated, at length, in much disorder. 
Hooker and Kearney plead to be permitted to march into 
Richmond — as it was afterwards discovered they could have 
done; but were restrained, and ordered to entrench more 
strongly. Thus the third grand error of the campaign was 
made. 

For three tveeJcs the Federal army then lay in those dread- 
ful miasmatic regions, awaiting the rebuilding of the bridges ; 
and when, at length they werc all done, it was discovered 
that the enemy was ready for the fight in an unexpected 
mannei'. Suddenly marching in from the north, fn>m his 
splendid dash up the Shenandoah Valley, the reiloubtable 
*' Stonewall " Jackson presented himself at Hanover Court 
House, in his march upon McClellan's depot of sujip,lies at 
"White House, on the Pamunkey. At the same time it was 
discovered that Lee was crossing his forces over the Chicka- 
hominy above New Bridge, and moving down upon Fitz 
John Porter's position. All w^as now confusion and alarm. 
The "on to Richmond " progress was arrested in a twink- 
ling; for, with his depot of supplies gone, a retreat to tho 
James river was his only salvation. 

The "Seven Days' Contest" commenced with the battle 
of Mechanicsville, Thursday, June 2(3th, when McCa.H's di- 
vision fought all the afternoon to hold the lino of Beaver 
Dam creek. The enemy was badly handled and the lina 



OF THE WAR. SlS 

held. During the night it was abandoned, however; and 
uniting with Fitz John Porter's corps, on Gaines' Hill, the 
two commands jn-epared to hold that position. No rc-en- 
forcements were permitted from the other corps ; and Porter, 
on Friday, June 27th, fought alone the terrible battle of 
Gaines' Hill. The divisions of McCall, AVessell and Sykes, 
bore the brunt of battle all day, wiih a tenacity and devotion 
truly admirable. Not until almost exhausted, late in the 
afternoon, did any show signs of disorganization. No assist- 
ance came from the vast bodies reposing in peace in their 
camps over tlie river, until late in the evening, when, per- 
ceiving the imminence of Porter's utter defeat, the brigades 
of Meagher and French, of Richardson's division, 3d Corps, 
were dispatched to the scene of conflict, and, by their sudden 
rush, at o P. M., into the conflict, stayed the rebel advance. 
Having been previously (at 3 r. ]^i.) joined by Slocum's divi- 
•gion, of the 6ih Corps, the Federal army gathered its widely 
scattered forces, regained some of its abandoned property, 
and, under cover of the night, withdrew over the river. The 
march to the James was even then initiated. Of this memo- 
rable "change of base" — the retreat from before Pichmond 
to the protection of the gunboats on the James river — we 
have, in tlie N. Y. Times correspondence, a graphic, and, in the 
main, correct account. Writing from the ground, under date 
of June 30th, he said: 

Events of the gravest character have transpired Avithin the last five 
days, touchuig the condition and i)rospccts of the army on tlie Pcnin- 
Buhi. Acting under the necessity which the Commanding General has 
long foreseen, the widely-extended lines of the army, with its miles of 
■\vell-constructed defenses, stretching almost from the James river on 
the left, to, and beyond the Chickahominy on the right, h.'>ve been 
abandoned, and the army before Kichmond has fallen back to a moro 
practicable line of defense and attack, upon the James river. Hither 
the gran<l army, with its immense artillery and wagon train; its Com- 
missary and Quartermaster's stores; its ammunition; its cattle-drovo, 
of 2540 head ; in fact, its entire materiel^ horse, foot and dragoons, 
bag and baggage, liave been transferred. This manosuvre, however — 
one of the most difficult and dangerous for a commander to e.\ecuto 
in the face of the enemy — has been accomplished safely, though under 



316 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

circumstances of difficulty and trial ■which would have taxed the 
genius of a Napoleon. The army has been engaged in constant con- 
flict with the enemy for six days, during Avhich their highest energies 
have been taxed to the uttermost. We have had no moment of repose 
— no opportunity scarcely to properly care for the •wounded and to 
bury the dead. The enemy have closely ■watched every movement, 
and, ■with an army more than double that of our own, have had the 
ability to constantly launch fresh troops ujion our rear, an advantage 
•which they have been quick to discover, and remorseless in improving. 
Their perfect knowledge of the roads, paths and bridges, and the to- 
pography of the country, which has taken us time to learn, has j^laced 
an immense advantage in their hands. Heaven grant that here, imder 
the shadow of these hills, and with the co-ojDeration of the gunboats, 
our overtaxed soldiers and officers may have that brief repose which 
is so essential to them, and to the existence of the. army itself. 

The interruption of all communication with the Government, lias, 
no doubt, convulsed the country Avitli anxiety and alarm. A know- 
ledge of the facts, however, will relieve this feeling, while any eiTort 
to conceal the truth will not only be fruitless, but will leave the pub- 
lic to imagine a thousand evils which do not exist. 

Beginning Aviih the fight at Mechanicsvillc on Thursday, our ad- 
vance forces, while steadily falling back, have had a continuous run- 
ning fight. 

On Friday one of the severest battles which was ever fought on this 
continent occurred ou the right of the Chickahominy, near Gaines' 
Hill. On Saturday, after our forces had retired in good order across 
the creek and destroyed the bridges, we were attacked in front of 
our encampments, but General Smith repulsed the enemy, leaving the 
ground strewn witli his dead. 

On Saturday morning, the arrangements having been completed, 
the wagon train was started on its way to James river, and was fol- 
lowed on Sunday morning by the artillery and Commissary train. 

Meantime the enemy, getting scent of our movement, strongly re- 
connoitercd our front, and finding that several of our positions had 
been abandoned, pushed in and attacked us vigorously. Generals 
Hooker antl Kichardson di-ove them back, and General Meagher's 
brigade, always on hand at the right time, charged, and captured two 
of their guns. The rebels i)uid a dear iJricc for the iiiformation which 
they obtained. The chief struggle Avas near Savage's station. 

Anticipating a movement on our right flank, the railroad bridge 
over the Chickahominj- was destroyed on Saturday morning. The 
rebels, supposing we had fallen back on the White House, sent a large 
force of infantry, cavalry and artillery in that direction, but, after a 



OF THE WAR. 317 

long, rupid and -weary march, discovered they had gone on a -wild 
goose chase in tlie ^vrong direction. They only found a small forco 
of our infantry and cavalry scattered down to guard the rear, -who fell 
back and escaped from White House Landing. The rest was one of 
those "howling wildernesses" which the rebels intend to leave for us. 
All the quartermaster and commissary stores had been removed two 
days before, and the rubbish burned. 

General McCiellan and staflfleft the headquarters at Savage's sta- 
tion at daylight on Sunday morning, with a body guard of the Fourth 
United States cavalry, and halted some five miles out, after crossing 
the White Oak creek. 

There were, on Saturday, about one thousand of the wounded and 
sick, chiefly accumulated from the battle of Friday, many of whom it 
was found impossible to remove, owing to the nature and severity of 
their Avounds, and as a matter of humanity, as well as of necessity, 
they were left behind. A great many, however, who could Avalk, 
slowly Ibllowed in the track of the army, and the ambulances brought 
away a great many others. 

General Hooker's division broke camj) in the entrenchments at three 
o'clock Sunday morning, and General Sickles' and Grover's brigades 
proceeded to the outposts to relieve General Patterson's New Jersey 
brigade. A five o'clock a. m. tlu3 three brigades fell back to the 
second line of redoubts, where they formed a line of battle with Rich- 
ardson's and Kearney's divisions, and remained until eight o'clock p. m. 
On discovering that General Hooker had fallen back, the enemy ad- 
vanced his scouts with two field-pieces, and opened a brisk fire upon 
his rear, along the line of the railroad. General Meagher's brigade 
made a movement on both the enemy's flanks, while the Eighty-eighth 
New York charged in front, and captured two of their guns. The 
enemy then fell back under cover of the wood. None were killed in 
Hooker's division. In the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania three were 
wounded ; the First Massachusetts lost two jirisoners. One man lost 
both legs by a shell. Kearney's and Richardson's divisions were the 
last off the field. 

On the approach of the rebel force to the Savage's station, where 
the hospital was estal^lislied, a white flag was sent out, and it was met 
by a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Confederates, who gave assurance that 
the hospital should be respected. There was no firing ijurjiosely, in 
that direction, and, if an occasional shell exploded near the house, it 
is believed to havo been accidental. 

About one hundred and twenty rebel prisoners, who were captured 
on Friday, accompanied us under guard. On Sunday forenoon an 
advance body of our cavalry, who were reconnoitering iu front, 
2b2 



818 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

discovered a hody of rebel cavalry near a small cliurcli, and, after a 
sharp engagement, put tliem to fliglit, killing a considerable number 
of horses, and capturing sonic tv.cnty -five prisoners, who were added 
to the group already in hand. 

Sedgwick's division left the front at daylight, and were engaged by 
the enemy half way to Savage's station, which they reached at five 
r. M. Here the enemy's infantry, with a buttery, came out of the 
woods on the right, and attacked them. 

The First Elaine were advanced on the left, with a line of skirmish- 
ers in front. They had twelve wounded, three mortally, viz; Smith, 
Wren and Taylor. C. "W. Haskell, Company C, was slightly wounded 
in the hand by a shell. 

Sedgwick's division crossed the creelc at White Oak swamp, about 
four o'clock A. M., Monday. His rear was not annoyed during tho 
night. 

Keyes' an(1 Porter's divisions had already preceded us on the march, 
and had reached a position on the James river, near Turkey island, 
which is about ten or twelve miles above City Point. 

The Engineer brigade of General "Woodbury preceded the army, 
constructed corduroy roads where they were necessary. At the Four- 
mile creek, a bridge Avas built across the run. At the White Oak 
Bwamp creek two bridges Avcre also constructed by the same valuable 
corjjs. One for the passage of the main army train, and the other to 
accommodate General Ileintzelman's division, who, with Hooker and 
Richardson, covered the retreat. 

As the army resumed its march on Monday morning, information 
was received through General Richardson, that the enemy were pur- 
suing, and orders were given to destroy the bridges. 

The Engineer Corps was detailed for this duty, and also to defend 
the ai^proach to the place. A wide space of trees had been felled 
across the creek, and tho brigade was deployed as skirmishers at the 
right and left of the passage. Ayers' battery of six guns Avas also 
left to hold the position, and was stationed on the hill overlooking 
tho swamp. 

The retreat was conducted in the most jierfect order. There was 
no trepidation or haste ; no smashing up of wagons by careless or fast 
driving, and not a single accident of anj' consequence is believed to 
have occurred. A drove of 2500 fat cattle, under the charge of Colo- 
nel Clark, Chief Commissarj-, and Captain E. ^I. Buchanan, Cominis- 
Bary of Subsistence on General McClellan's stafi', were successfully 
driven along. They had been brought up from tho White House, and 
narrowly escaped stampeding by the rebtls. 

The country through which wc passed contained some of the finest 



OF THE WAR. 319 

farming lands I had seen in Virginia. Broad farms, with well-grown 
crops of oats and wheat, were passed along the roads, in which tho 
horses and cattle found abundant forage. The forage of the army had 
all been consumed the day before, thus relieving the train of an im- 
mense l)urden. Instead of the expected svvamps and impassable roads, 
wc found well-traveled country roads in excellent condition, along 
which the immense artillery and wagon train passed with the greatest 
case. After approaching within about five miles of the river, tho 
train was divided, part being sent l)y each of three roads which con- 
verged near the landing. An occasional halt was ordered, to enable 
the advance to examine the roads and woods in front for a concealed 
force or masked batteries, but nothing of the kind interrupted our 
progress. A teamster or some mischievous person would occasionally 
report that. ViC were attacked in front, which would produce a tem- 
porary scare, but, beyond this, nothing delayed the movement. Tho 
soldiers regarded it as the carrjing out of part of a necessary plan — 
the only dissatisfaction expressed being at the leaving behind ot so 
many of the sick and wounded. 

Plenty of provisions and medicines were left for them, lioweA'cr, 
and if tliey are iJcrmitted to use them, their situation for some time 
to come will Ijc much better there than with the army, in the midst 
of conflict and ahxrm. 

At Savage's station the Government had made arrangements for 
the sick and wounded as they Averc brought from the field. It was 
Imder the care of Dr. John Swinburne. Dr. Brunot, of Pittslnirgh, 
Penn., arrived on IMonday witli a corps of surgeons and nurses. How 
many of these remained with the patients I am not able to state. 
Tlierc is a report that a large part of thcni ran away when the army 
left. It was certainly a severe test of their phihxnthropy to l)o left in 
rebel hands. The demand for nursing and surgical attendance was 
so great that large numbers were obliged to wait for long hours 
before their cases could be readied. The Avorst cases were attended 
to first, but there was and have been a great many who never received 
attentions at all. The entire area in the back and on Ijoth sides of 
the house was covered Avith the wounded, and there were also somo 
twenty large tents pitched in tho garden at the east of the house, 
filled with sick and wounded. The stores for ilrs. Harris, the benev- 
olent lady, who, assisted by Mrs. Sampson, are devoting themselves 
to the sick, were delayed at White House, and if they reached Savage's 
at all, it is doubtful whether the good things were not aj^propriated 
by the rebels as soon as they got possession of the place. 

Many poor fellows who were scarcely able to drag themselves along, 
clung to tho skirts of their comrades, or hobbled on crutches, 



520 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

oiDparently dreading more tlian death itself, falling into the hands of 
the rebels. Many became so exhausted that they fell by the way- 
Bide, and could only be roused and helped forward by the greatest 
exertions. 

When an aid of General McClellan rode back and reported that the 
way was all open to James river, a thrill of relief ran through the 
whole line, and the sight of the green fields skirting its banks was 
indeed an oasis in the terrible desert of suspense and appreliension 
through which they had passed. The teams were now put upon a 
lively trot, in order to relieve the pressure ujjon that portion still 
in the rear. 

General McClellan and staff rode ahead and took possession of the 
old estate known as Malvern Hill, owned by B. F. Dew, one mile 
back from Turkey Island bend. It is a large okl-fashioned estate, 
originally built by the French, and has near it, iu front, an old earth- 
work constructed by General "Washington during the revolutionary 
war. It has a spacious yard shaded by venerable elms and other 
trees. A fine view of the river can be had from this elevated posi- 
tion. General McClellan expressed the opinion that, with a brief 
time to prepare, the position could be held against any force the 
enemy can bring against us. 

Exhausted by long watching and fatigue, and covered thickly with 
the dust of the road over which we had passed, many of the officers 
threw themselves upon the shady and grassy lawn to rest. The sol- 
diers also attracted by the shady trees, surrounded the house, or 
bivouacked in the fields near by. 

General McClellan immediately addressed himself to the task of 
preparing dis2)atches for the Government. 

At two o'clock r. m. firing was heard in the direction of White Oak 
swamp, where it was supposed Ayres was holding in check the rebel 
force who were attemjiting to cross. This continued for nearly two 
hours, when sudden and heavy firing began further to the left, in the 
direction of Charles City Cross Roads. At this point an immense 
body of fresh troops, with artillery and cavalry, had made their ap- 
pearance direct from Richmond, and were engaging our batteries still 
left to guard the road. 

Orders were sent immediately to j^ut the troops in line of battle ; 
and Generals Porter's and Keyes' commands were soon on the way up 
the hill, returning from their comfortable encampment beyond Mal- 
vern Hill. By halt-past four p. M., the road was thronged with these 
troops, Avith artillery and cavalry, hastening to resist the advance of 
the. enemy. 

The firing now became more and more rajjid, and was evidently 



OF THE WAR. 821 

apjiroacliing our line. The ro:\r of cannon was inccsynnt, and the 
dust of tlic contest swept upward and whirled in eddying clouds 
above the forest trees, which conceale<l friend and foe from view. 

Members of the staff and messengers hurriedly mounted and rode 
to and fro with important orders to the commanding ofiicers. The 
■wagons were drawn uj) on the right of the tield as a icind of tempo- 
rary breriStwork, and the troops were disposed in line of Ijattle at the 
westward, from which direction the enemy Averc advancing, 

Tlie firing now became incessant, the exi)losion of shells constant 
and most terrific from both lines, and the roar of musl<ctry, mingled 
Avith the shouts and cheers of the contending forces. If we could 
have seen them and estimated their strength or number it would have 
been some relief, but they wei'c advancing, apparently, to witkin less 
than a mile of our position, under cover of woods. It was very evi- 
dent that our men were being driven in, and that, too, by an over- 
Avhelming force. At this juncture two of our gunboats, the Galena 
and Aroostooh laoved forward some half a mile and opened fire upon 
the left with their 54-pounders, the shells exploding in the edge of the 
woods along the line of hills where it was supposed the enemy would 
attempt to turn our left. No doubt these terrific missiles had an ex- 
cellent efi*ect in deterring them from this enterprise and in retarding 
their advance. In so long a range there was danger that some of our 
own men might be hit, and a signal station was established on the top 
of an old house overlooking the field, and also commanding a view 
of the river. The firing from the Galena was directed in front by 
these signals. The Jacob Bell and also the Aroostooh fired several 
shells during the last part of the battle. 

During the evening, and while the fight was going on, crowds of 
dusty men rushed down to the river, and plunged in to bathe. Con- 
sidering the circumstances of the army, this was hardly the time to 
adjust one's toilet. 

]\Ieantime the contest raged with terrible fury along our whole 
front and right. Exploding shells filled the air, and rifled shot 
screamed overhead. So thick was the cloud of dust envelo2)ing the 
field, it was imi^ossible, except from the sound, to determine wdiich 
way the tide of battle ebbed or flowed. The gunboats kept ujj a dis- 
charge of their heavy shells upon the enemy's position. Provost- 
Marshal Porter meantime took charge of the disabled and sick 
soldiers and conducted them to the rear. A large number of strag- 
glers filled the road, who seemed to have business in an opposite di- 
rection from that in which the enemy was coming. 

The Prince De Joinville, with the Duke De Chartres and the Count 
Pe Paris, took charge of dispatches for the Government, and General 
41 



822 I N C I D E N 'J S A N I) A N K C D T E S 

McClcIliin nrcoinpanicd llicin as far as tlic gunboat Jacob Lell, on 
board of which bu bade ihcr.i a final adieu toward cvfiiiii;^. Tlie 
crew ir.iuincd iho rigging, and cheered as the General returned to 
headquarter?. 

The (lay's contest wound up l)y :i dim'.r.ncndo of musketry, and by 
dark all firing. e:vcei)t aji occasional slioi, bud ceased. It was loo late 
to obtain any list of biilid aiul wounded, or in fact to learn definitely 
the result of the fight. Tlie Jacob Ecll went down to City Point or- 
dering uj> tlse Goidhfxhl, and i'.ll the other vessels lying below. 

It sbotild l)c borne in mind that the wide bottoms along the 
riv(;r S( parate the gunboats in many i)laces, some two miles from the 
forces operating on t'.ic bills. The gunlioats Galena^ Maratanza^ Aroos- 
tooJc, Marnala and Purt Iloyal are mar i y, and ought to be aljle to 
render valuable assistance to the army until it can be placed in posi- 
tion to operate. The indications are that the enemy nill continue to 
harrass our position, antl give our troops no rest, day or night, until 
they liavc been dislodged or compelled to embark. Should affairs 
reach the latter crisis, where are the transports to receive such an army 
on board, with ils imniense inaicricl cf war? There are scarcely ves- 
Bcls entrngh r.ow in the Jr.nus River to lake ou board the wounded 
and sick, to say nothing of the army. 

The Jacob Led having returned from City Point, -was dispatclicd, 
about ten o'clock r. j:., to Fortress Monroe with the Prince De Join- 
ville and companions, w ho, it was understood, carried dis2)atches to 
the War Department. 

"When the steamer left, all was quiet along the river, and it was sui)- 
posed that our forces were holding their positioii at Malvern Hill. 

The results of this contest arc not known. The fight was a most 
< determined one on both hides. 

Transports and stcan.iers were proceeding up the river; among 
them the Vi'ilson Small, of the Sanitary Connnission. All tlnnr ves- 
sels will be needed t(^ remove the sick and wounded. Early arrange- 
ments will no doubt be made by the Government for the recovery of 
the wounded from Savage'3 station and from the battle field of 
Gaines' Hill. 

Thus ended in disnstcr the first great campaign against the 
rebel ca])ital. For a few da\'s the i\rmj of the Pi»tomac 
tarried at Harrison's Landing, but was then withdrawn to 
cover Wasliington, against which the Confederates precipi- 
tated their best force, during August. The struggle with 
their advance, maintained b}- Pope, witli his little Army of 
Virginia, farms one of the most exciting chapters of the war. 



XXXII. 

pope's campaign to cover WASniXGTON". 

Calt.ed from his grand-division command in the "W^est, 
Major-General John Pope was given command in chief of 
the "Army of Virginia," composed of the united forces of 
Fremont, Banks and McDowell. The defeat of McClellan 
before llichmond left the Federal capital uncovered, save by 
widely detached divisions. The great peril compelled their 
concentration and unity under one hand. Considering I'ope 
as most likely to do the haixles^t fighting, he was assigned tho 
chief command, taking the field July 29th. 11 is army was 
then all concentrated at and around Little Washington, 
while Jackson was represented as raj)idly augm.enting force 
at Gordonsville, his old and favorite headquarters. 

■After various manoeuvres for position the batilc of Cedar 
Mountain was brought on by Banks, August 9th. This 
rather unpreracdiiated affair, Vvhilc it resulted (iis^orubly to 
the Union arms, still accomplished nothing, since it was but 
a reconnoitre by the enemy to draw on Pope, in the hopes 
of the more easily flanking him and getting in his rear. 
Seeing his peril. Pope withdrew even from his advance on 
the line of the Kapidan river to the line of the Pappahan- 
nock, on the night of August lOlh. Ee-enforced by troops 
li'om Falmouth and by Reno's corps of Burnside's ai-my, he 
again advanced to the line of the Papidan, but only to retire 
again on the 18th — then having ascertained definitely that 
Lee's programme was to flank and crush him. As Pope's 
sole purpose in holding that advance position, was to keep 
the enemy in check until the Army of the Potomac could 
come to his aid, he resolved to hold the Rappahannock line. 
Jackson promptly advanced, as Pope retired, and for several 



324 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

days tbe two armies faced each other across tlie stream, can- 
nonading each other furiously from Rappahannock station 
to Kelly's ford. The constant raoveinent of the rebels to- 
ward Pope's right, above Kelly's ford, led him to foresee the 
attempt to pass him, and he at once informed General-in- 
Chief llalleck of the danger, whereupon the General-in- 
Chief ordered, August 21st : 

" Dispute every inch of ground and light like the devil till we can 
re-enforce you. Forty-eight hours more and we can make you strong 
enough. Don't yield an inch, if you can hel]) it." 

Four da3"s later Poj^e was constrained to say : " You 
wished forty-eight hours to assemble the forces from the Pe- 
ninsula behind the Rappahannock, and four days have passed 
without the enemy ^^et being permitted to cross." The sub- 
ordinate was obeying the mandate to "fight like the devil," 
but without the promised aid. Even his baggage and pa- 
pers, sent to the rear at Catlett's station, fell a prey to the 
dashing Stuart, who raided around Pope's lines on the 23d, 
Unopposed by forces v/hich, two days previous, should have 
been there. 

All efforts to hold the rebels were futile, since there were 
•no forces at "\Y arrenton or Manassas to restrain their flank 
progress ; and Pope, on the 26th, was made aware of the fact 
that Jackson was moving upon Manassas, -through Thorough- 
fare Gap. Nothing was, therefore, left for the Army of Vir- 
ginia but to retire to a line within the area of the Confede- 
rate occupation, and orders to the divisions were issued at 
night, on the 26th of August, to be ready for movement at 
a moment's notice. It was then expected that Fitz John 
Porter's corps would " be wit'hin two and a half miles of 
Warrenton on the Fayetteville road to-morrow night," and 
Pope arranged to conjoin forces. But Porter was not on 
hand, as promised, and, for the twentieth time, disappoint- 
ment followed the dependence upon these promises. On the 
27th it was made certain that Jackson was aiming for Ma- 
nassas, and Pope's efforts were directed to throwing his army 
across the path of rebel advance. ITaving been joined hj 



OF THE WAR. 325 

Heintzelman's two divisions under those magnificent Jirjliters, 
Ilookcr and Kearney, and expecting the lull co-operation of 
Fitz John Porter, Pope was hopeful of dealing Jackson a 
crushing defeat ere he could be joined bj Longstreet and 
Anderson's grand divisions, then coming forward under Gen- 
eral Lee's personal guidance. But J^ickson was six hours 
ahead of his adversary, and occupied jNInnasj^as junction du- 
ring the morning of the 27th. Ou the afternoon of that day 
Hooker met EwelFs rebel division west of Bristow's station, 
and a severe battle followed, in which both parties fought 
with extreme obstinacy. Hooker slowly pressed Evvell 
backward upon Brisfow, and night left him in full posses- 
sion of the battle-field. At that time Pope's lines spread 
from Gainesville on the Thoroughfiire Gap i-ailroad to the 
Orange and Alexandria railroad — thus circling Jackson in 
an arc of bayonets out of which it was not thought he could 
escape. The rebel, however, appreciating his peril, hastily 
evacuated Manassas and retired to Centreville, nearer to 
Washington, but to the north of Pope's position. This move 
placed Jackson in a position to receive his re-enforcements, 
or to move again around the head of Bull Run back toward 
Thoroughfare Gap. Pope pursued at once. At noon on the 
28lh the divisions of Hooker, Kearney and Eeno were in 
Manassas. Jackson first occupied Centreville, but evacuated 
it almost as soon as occupied to take position across Bull 
Run on the old battle field of Manassas. He did not care to 
give Pope the vantage of that turbulent little water course, 
and place himself between the column advancing from Al- 
exandria, under Sumner and Franklin, and the fire of the 
now largely augmented ranks of the original "Army of Vir- 
ginia." McDowell's advance, from Gainesville toward Cen- 
treville, struck Jackson's van late in the afternoon of the 
28th, and a severe conflict ensued, in which King's division 
held their ground. At the same mornent Hooker, Kearney 
and Reno were in Centreville, on Jackson's rear. Thus the 
rebel was between two lines, either of which must crush him 

if iie-enforcemeats could be kept back. Most unfortunately, 
2o 



326 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

instead of holding liis position on the very line over which 
Jackson's supports nuist come, McDowell, on the niylit of 
the 28th withdrev/' to ^fanassas, and thus the wa}^ was open 
for Lee's approach with his powerful army. It came in on 
the morning and during the da}' of the 21)th, marching upon 
the field chosen by Jackson; and when Pope assailed, on 
that day, it was to find his antagonist more than his equal in 
guns, men and position. 

The second battle of Manassas followed, on the 29th. It 
was opened by Sigel's corps, which constituted Pope's left, 
just east of the village of Groveton. I'he rebel right rested 
above and near the village, and their left upon the old 
Manassas baltle-gi'ound, covering the WaiTcnton turnpike. 
Ileintzehnan's corps constituted ihe Federal right, and Reno 
the centre. This whole line became engaged by seven A. jr. 
The enemy's artillery occupied commanding heights, while 
their infantry manoeuvred in the little valleys, and used the 
old railway embankment and the spots of intervening wood 
to press their advances under partial cover. Up to noon 
Sigei, Ueintzelman and Reno ordered their respective forces. 
Lee in person directed the rebel field-force, then composed 
of the grand division of Jackson and a portion of Long- 
street's command — in all about forty thousand men and 
eighty-six excellent guns. " lleintzelman's corps occupied 
the right of our line, in front, or west of the Sudley Spring.] 
road. General Sigel was on his left, WMth his line extended 
a short distance south of the Warrenton turnpike ; the di- 
vision of General St'Iienck occupying the high ground to th© 
left of that road. The extreme left was occupied b}- Gen- 
eral Reynolds. General Reno's corps had i-cached the field, 
and the most of it had been pushed forward into action, leav- 
ing four regiments in reserve, and in rear of the centre of 
our line." This was the disposition when Pope reached the 
field, at noon, to find the troops so wearied as to reqni]-e rest. 
Neither Porter nor McDowell had then reached the field of 
conflict, and Pope was constrained to cease his pressure of the 
enemy's position until his re-enforcements could be pushed 



OF THE WAR. 327 

to the front. Tlius matters rested for over four hours, when 
McDowell, at lialf past four, came in from the direction of 
Mtinassas Junction, by the Sudley Springs road. Pope's 
plan was lo double up the rebel left, pressing it back upon 
the centre. Porter was expected to be on the ground by 
that time, ready to strike the enemy's right and rear, and 
throw it back upon the centre, when McDowell was to move 
in and complete the victory. Anticipating the arrival on the 
ground at the right time, of these re-enforcements, Pope or- 
dered the opening of the struggle again by Ileintzelman and 
Reno. Said Pope of the desperate and heroic struggle which 
followed : 

*• The attack was made with great gallantry, and the whole of the 
left of the enemy was doul;Ie<l back toward his centre, and our own 
forces, after a sharp conflict of an hour and a half, occupied the field 
of battle, with tlie dead and wounded of the enemy in our hands. 
In this attack, Grovcr's brigade of Hooker's division was particularly 
distinguished by a determined bayonet charge, breaking two of the 
enemy's lines and penetrating to the third before it could be checked. 
By (his tin)e General McDowell had arrived on the field, and pushed 
Lis corps inimedialely to the front, along the Warrenton turnpike, 
with ordcKs to fall upon the enemj-, who was retreating toward the 
pike from the direction of Sudley Springs. The attack along the 
turnpike was made by King's division at about sunset in the evening; 
but by tliat time the advance of the main body of the enemy, under 
Longstreet, had begun to reach the field, and King's division encoun- 
tered a stiiI)I)orn and determined resistance at a uoint about three- 
fourths of a mile in front of our line of battle. 

"While this attack was going on, the forces under Ileintzelman and 
Reno continued to push back the left of the enemy in the direction 
of Warrenton turnpike, so tliat at about tight o'clock in the evening 
the greater portion of tlie field was occupied by our army. Nothing 
was heard from General Porter \\\) to that time, and his forces took 
no part whatever in the acti(m, but were suffered by him to lie idle 
on their arms, within sight and sound of the battle during the 
whole day." 

The errors of the day were want of expedition in the 
movement of McDowell and Porter's two powerful corps, 
while the utter failure of the latter to do his work gave to 
the enemy the benefit of a drawn battle. Said Pope, refer- 



828 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ring to this result of the day's confliet : "I do not hesitate 
to say that if he had discharged his duty as became a soldier, 
under the circumstances, and had made a vigorous attack on 
the enemy, as he ^vas expected and directed to do, at any 
time up to eight o'clock that night, we should have utterly 
crushed or cnptured the larger portion of Jackson's force be- 
fore he could have been by any possibility sufficiently re- 
enfopced to have made a sufficient resistance." 

It only remained to fight another battle on the morrow. 
"With the Army of Virginia in wretched plight from its al- 
most unintermitted ten days' marching and fighting — with 
Ilooker, Kearney and ]^cno bndly cut up. Pope's hope now 
lay in Porter's good conduct and the arrival of the mysteri- 
ously wiihlield troops then swarming in and around Alexan- 
dria — the corps of Franklin and Sumner and the divisions 
of Cox and Sturgis. But, as his orders still were to "fight 
like the devil," and, as both McDowell and Ilcintzelman re- 
ported the enemy retiring along the Warrenton pike toward 
Gainesville, on the night of the 29th Pope resolved on an- 
other day's struggle for the 30tli. Of the terrific battle which 
ensued Pope gave this general version : 

"Between twelve and two o'clcick in tlic day I advanced the corps 
of Porter, supported !)}• King's division of JMcDowclTs corps, to at- 
tack tlie enemy along tlic Warrenton turnpike ; at the same time I 
directed Ilcintzelman and Reno, on our light to push forward to the 
left and front toward Warrenton turnpike, and attack the enemy's 
left in flank if possible. For a short time Ricketts' division of Mc- 
Dowell's corps was placed in su])port of this movement on our right. 

"It was necessary for me to act tlius promptly, and make an attack, 
as I had not the time, for want of provisions and forage, to await an 
attack from the enemy, nor did I think it good policy to do so under 
the circumstances. During the whole night of the 29tli, and the 
SOtli, the advance of the whole army uuder Lee, was arriving on the 
field to rc-enforco Jackson, so that by twelve or one o'clock in the 
day we were confronted l)y forces greatly su|)enor to our own : and 
these forces were being every moment largely increased by fresh arri- 
vals of the enemy from the direction of Tliorouulifire Gap. Every 
moment of delay increased the odds against us, and I therefore ad- 
vanced to the attack as rapidly as I was able to bring my forces into 



O F T n E W A R . 329 

action. Shorlly after, General Porter moved forward to the attack of 
the Warrcnton turnpike, and tlic assault on the enemy was begun by 
Heintzchnan and Reno on the right, it became apparent tliat the 
tnenij was massing his tnioi^s as fast as they arrived on the field, on 
his right, and was moving forward from that direction to turn our 
left; at which 2)oint it was plain he intended to make his main at- 
tack — I accordingly directed General ]\IcDowell to recall Rifketts' 
division iniuic<liately fix)m our right, and post it on the left ot our 
line. The-attiick of Porter was neither vigorous nor pereistent, and. 
liis troops soon retired in considerable confusion. As soon as they 
connuenced to fiill back, the enemy advanced to the assault, and our 
whole line, from right to left, was soon furiously engaged. Tiie main 
attack of the enemy was made upon our left, but was met with stub- 
born resistance by the divisions of General Sehenck, General ]Milroy 
and General Reynohls, who, shortly after the action began, were re- 
enforced on their left and rear by the whole division of Rieketts. 
The aclion raged furiously for several hours; the enemy bringing up 
liis heavy reserves, and i)ouring uiass after mass of liis troops upon 
our left. So greatly superior in number were his forecs, that wiiile 
overpowering us on the left, he was able to assault us also with suj^e- 
rior forces on our riglit Porter''? forces were rallied and brought to 
a halt as they were retiring to the rear. As soon as they could be 
used, I piislied them forward to sup[)ort our left, and they thei'e ren- 
dered distinguisheil service, es^xicially the brigade of regulars un<ler 
Colonel Buchanan^ 

" Tower's brigade of Ricketts'' division \vas pushed forward into 
action in support of Reynolds" <livision, and was led forvvar<l in per- 
son by General Tower, with conspicuous skill and gallantrj'. The 
conduct of that brigade, in plain view of all the forces on our left, 
was esjxjclally tlistiuguished, and drew forth hearty and enthusiastic 
cheers, Tiic cx-.vmple of this brigade was of great service, and in- 
fused new spirit into all tro(»i>s wlio witnessed their intrepid conduct, 
Reno''s coqis was also withdrawn from its position on our right centre 
late in the aftcrnxwn, and thrown into the action on our left, where ifc 
behaved with conspicuous gallantrj'. • 

''Notwithstanding these great disadvantages, our troops held their 
ground with tlie utnjost firnmess and obstinacy. The losses on L-otli 
sides were very heavy. P.y dark our left had been forced back about 
one-half or three-fourths of a mile, but still remained firm and un- 
broken, and still covered t!ie turnpike in our rear." 

What would not ten thousand fresh men then have ac- 
complished! At six o'clock Pope learned that Fj-anklin was 
42 2c2 



S30 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

en route to liis aid, though then some tu'clvc miles away; 
but instead of his full division, re-cnfoi-ccd by commands 
then idle at Alexandria, he was onlv about ciLi-ht thousand 
strong-. Of Sumner not a word: nor of Cox; nor of Couch; 
nor of fresh levies ; nor of the militia regiment.^. It was 
necessiry to give his men rest, for tliej had fought away 
their strength until, like sick men, they must sleep and re- 
cupsr.Ue. But one course was left — to retire to ihe powerful 
entrenchments around Centreville, wljich Jackson had aban- 
donad only two days before; and there await ihe re-en furce- 
msnts which had failed him on the 29th and oOih. Still 
holding his lines well, at eight o'clock the retreat was or- 
dered. Corps commanders were given written instructions 
to withdraw leisurely and cautiously by indicated routes, 
cro.^sing Bull Eun at particularized fords, and entering Cen- 
treville in detined order. The movement folhnvcd — Hcno 
covering it wiili such well disposed lines as to give the Con- 
federates but slight opportunities for ascertaining what was 
transpiring. A division at Cub Run protected the crossing 
of that stream, and was the last to retire. Ko pursuit was 
attempted, and the enemy only became aware at daylight of 
the step taken, Centreville was occupied, as ordered ; and 
within its protecting lines the wearied, half- rationed troops 
found temporary repose. 

It was but temporary, for the audacious Confederates, aflcr 
a day's rest, again flanked the Federal army, and by /tint- 
ing in strong column, arou?>d the position at Centreville, to- 
ward Fairfax Court Uouse, compelled Pope to move back to 
light them there. On the 1st Hooker took post at Fairfax, 
with orders to push out toward Germantown ; Kearney was 
placed on the road between Centreville and Fairfax. In 
front of him, in the direction of Chantilly village, was Beno. 
McDowell was on the direct road to Fairfax — eoTniectine: 
with Hooker's left. Franklin went to McDowell's left and 
rear. Sumner took Kearney's hft and rear. Sigel and Por- 
ter united with Sumner's right. Bonks took charge of all the 
trains, movin-g by the old Braddock road into Alexandria. 



O F T II E W A R . 831 

With this disposition, tlic army was prepared to give bat- 
tle to Lees entire host; but only a portion of that liost — 
A. P. Ilill's division — -was on the move, the greater part re- 
maining at tlie ^lanassas battle irround to re-organize for its 
movement over the Potomac. Indeed, by the 1st of Sep- 
tember the rebel cokimn was moving nortli, and tlie appear- 
ance of the two divisions on the evening of the 1st at 
Chantilly was but a blind to cover the real movement into 
Maryland. Pope's true programme was, had he had confi- 
dence in his Iroops, to move north ujion Lcesburg with his 
main column while Sunnier took care of A. P. IIill But 
the disoi-ganizcd state of the commands', the exhaustion of 
the arm}-, the want of friendly feeling among the command- 
ers, all pointed Pope to the defenses at Washington, wh.ero 
the re-organization might be made, absolutely necessary to 
meet Lee with any hope of success. 

In the midst of a terrific thunder storm, on the evening 
of Monda}', September 1st, the rebel column struck the Fed- 
eral right. Evedently counting upon a disorganized mass, 
IIill pi"eci})itatcd his four brigades upon the Federal lino 
with a fury which, it was doubtless conceived, would ])ut the 
discomfited divisions to flight. '^J'hey met, howe\'cr, columns 
as steady as steel, and after a well contested struggle for two 
hours the enemy withdrew toward Centreville. This battle 
was most melancholy in I'esnlts, for the chivalrous Kearney 
and the accomplished Stev( ns were both killed. In Kenrnc}^, 
the Union cause lost one of the bravest of men and best of 
commanilers, who, had his life been spared, must liavc 
achieved a brilliant fam.e as a military leadei'. 

This ended the campaign of the "Army of Virginia." 
Though defeated — as Ilalleck feared he would be — In* his 
stubborn resistance and slow ]'eiii'ement he h;ul saved th.o 
capital, for McClellan was, at last, on the ground with all his 
lio.^t — save a large portion of Keycs' corps left to guard 
Yoi'ktown- — and the special object of Pope's appointment 
was achieved. It now only remained for the Government 
to organize its disordered ranks, to gather its scattered 



832 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

strength and prepare to contest the guage of battle in Mary- 
land. Barnside was, therefore, recalled from Fredericksburg, 
and, with his remaining brigades, abandoned that important 
point on the Slst — marching to Acquia creek, and from 
thence, by transport, to Alexandria. Pope, having aban- 
doned Centreville by his movement on the 1st, virtually 
ended his campaign with that abandonment, for the battle of 
Chantilly must be regarded as a mere defense of his retreat, 
though no orders were issued for his retirement to the Wash- 
ington entrenchments until September 2d. Those orders 
gave to McClellan the command of all the troops there gath- 
ered, by virtue of liis assignment to the defenses. Pope at 
once asked to be relieved of all further service in Virginia, 
and was,' by orders dated September 7th, assigned to the De- 
partment of the North West, whence he proceeded at once. 

The losses in his series of conflicts never were correctly 
reported. Pope estimated his casualties in the battle of the 
80th at eight thousand, killed, wounded and prisoners ; and 
yet, by his own statement of the depletion of ranks and the 
strength of commands, September 1st, it is evident that twice 
eight thousand hardly would cover the losses and absentees. 
The noarest approximate made to the actual killed, wounded 
and prisoners, from August 2Gth to September 2d, was 
twenty-five thousand. The rebel loss was very lieavy, prob- 
ably one-third less than that of Pope in killed and wounded, 
and innnensely less in prisoners. Of spoils the Confederates 
had not much to boast. 

In weighing the evidence as to Pope's conduct of the cam- 
paign, we can arrive at but one conclusion — that he obeyed 
orders fmm Washington in his first advance, that he satis- 
factorily covered tlic line of tiie liapidan and Rappahannock, 
and retired with celerity toward Manassas and Centreville, 
there to contest an adversary's advance which none of his 
censors arc warranted in assuming he could have prevented. 
Disorders were to hold the enemy at bay until the Potomaq 
Army could come to his assistance; and he so held Lee's 
legions for several days longer than was expected. McCleb 



OFTHEWAR. /« 333 

lan's forces did not- arrive as promised — did not assist very 
much after ihey did arrive^ save in the splendid example of 
Heintzclman's corps; and, worn with service, depleted with 
battle, short rationed, illy supported, if the Army of Vir- 
ginia failed in its last efforts to stay the enemy's j^i-ogress, it 
was not to its dishonor. That any commander, similarly 
placed, could have manoeuvred more skillfully and foa^ht 
with better success, we conceive to be a question for doubt. 
The faults of the command — its want of coherency and dis- 
cipline—grew out of the spirit of insubordination, of which 
General jSIcClellan was a leading example, and some of his 
corps commanders representatives. Each deemed himself a 
superior judge of what should be his own action, and acted 
accordingly. Even division commanders were free to ques- 
tion the orders of their superiors, and executed those orders 
with more or less zeal, as seemed to them best. No army 
thus constituted could expect success, with a powerful ad- 
versary, keeiv for battle and directed by one capable mind. 



XXXIII. 

THE STORY OF THE JESSIE SCOUTS. 

During the war the Federal service enlisted some most 
admirable men, as scouts and spies. This "secret service" 
in all armies is one of great exposure and responsibility, de- 
manding talents and courage which few possess. In the 
Revolutionar}^ War numerous men came forward to the 
trying duty; and the ignominious fate which many of them 
met, attests the patriotic devotion by which they were in- 
spired, for, in no instance is it recorded that a "Yankee" 
spy ever recanted his loyalty or failed to do honor to his 
cause. 

In our second war for a free government the call for spies 



334 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

was nobly nnswerecl, N»oi-th and South ; and one of tlic most 
intensely dramatic and absorbing" features of the war is that 
wherein the Union scout and spy acts his part. Out of the 
large number engaged but lew pei'ished in the discharge of 
duty, owing chiefly to the presence, every wljere in the 
South, of secret friends of the Union cause, ^fany a history 
is yet to be told of Southern men protecting tiie h'edeial 
ngent, but many who so served the good cause never will be 
known because, even in the South, after the war was closed, 
it was to court persecution to be known or suspected as hav- 
ing, during the war, befriended the Union cause. And to 
the negro — the never failing, ever true friend ol the National 
arms — what is not owing to him ftjr services i-endered \o the 
Federal spies and scouts, as well as to escaped prisoners! 
Indeed, how many a black man served as a spy, freely ])eril- 
ing his life, to aid the arms which struck for his liberation ! 
The rebel spies were ever}'' Avhere, in our camps, in our 
cities, even in the Departments at Washington. They lurk- 
ed under guiso of lo\-alty in the ranks ami bureaus, wearing 
the Federal uniform and receiving the Federal pay. They 
were male and female, of high and low degree ; from the 
aristocratic Washington belle to the camp follower " Belle 
Bo^'d." The assassin AVilkes Booth was, without doubt, a 
commissioned emissary of the Richmond Government, merely 
playing such engagements in Northern theatres as lie could 
command to mask iiis true character. The attaches of seve- 
ral Northern journals were i-egular informers for the rebel 
agents, who, by a well contrived system of carriers, kept up 
close communication with Richmond. New York city v/as 
swarming with Southei'n emissaries, and one of its leading 
hotels was shunned by loyal men as being the resort of trea- 
son tainted minions of the slave power. Their very number 
was their safety. Government was powerless, apparently, to 
suppress a community ^o large, so influential, so dangerous, 
as the Southern sympathizers infesting the Noi-thern and 
Western cities. To have dealt out the full rigors of military 
law to all who '' gave aid and comfort to the enemy," would 



OFTHEWAR. 835 

have been to Lave kept a gibbet at uork in c-rery Kortlicrn 
city. lu its magnanimous spirit of forgiveness and in the 
eonsciousncss of the ultimate triumph of its cause, tlie l^'ederal 
Government enforced punishment upon but a few of those 
most obnoxious, but not the punishment of the jibbet, as or- 
dained by the rules of war — imprisonment only was their 
fate. Their friends shouted lusiily against "arbitrary im- 
prisonment," and called for vengeance against the authorities 
at Washington for arresting any person without due process 
of law; but, public sentiment too significantly sustained this 
mild punishment of men notoriously disloyal, to induce the 
Government to suspend such arrests until it could be done 
with safety to law and order. When that time came the 
arrests eeaseJ, the prison doors were opened, and the enemies 
of the Federal cause were permitted once more to "air their 
treason to admiring ears." 

The Federal spy system in the South was a purely military, 
and therefore permissible, organization. It was prosecuted 
by men under special commi.-sions — each chosen for a spe- 
cific service. Alone or in squads having an invisible unity, 
they passed the enemy's lines; threaded, in all disguises, 
Confederate camps ; penetrated Confederate homes ; worked 
their way through Confederate prisons ; thc}^ tnimped through 
swamps, canebrakcs and forests, by night, fed by the hand 
of the faithful black, or staring starvation in the face, they 
endured all things as they had dared nil dangers — in that 
sublime spirit of devotion which could suffer and die in their 
country's cause because it was her cause. 

Among those who earliest enlisted in the dangerous busi- 
ness of the Fedei-al secret service was Cnptain Carpenter, 
whose fime as the leader of the "Jessie Scouts '' has become 
a part of the history of the early campaigns. The story of 
this man's exploits v^'ould fill a volume. Some of them as 
repeated by correspondents familiar Avith the subject, we may 
here reproduce, confident they will be;ir this more permanent 
record. The editor of this volume, having some personal 
acquaintance with the Captain, can vouch for the truth of 



336 INCIDENTS AND AN-EC DOTES 

much that otherwise would seem fabulous concerning his 
adveiituics, his disguises, his indifference to danger, his ea- 
durancc in the saddle, etc. 

Speaking of the scout's person and manners, one corres- 
pondent \v]'ote : " Among the many picturesque individuals 
one encounters in this latitude, Captain Carpenter of the 
Jessie Scouts is by no means a figure to be passed by^ 
Fancy a poacher, who is half brigand and wholly dare-devil, 
and you will catch a glimpse of his air. High top-boots are 
drawn up over wide black velvet trowsers. No vest is worn, 
and the expanse of a broad chest affords a fine field for the 
once snowy shirt-bosom of Parisian- pretensions and fine ma- 
terial, formed of divers puffing and plaiting, its front fold 
being garnished with studs, and two rather large bosom pins 
joined by a gold chain. Under a broad collar is loosely 
tied a black silk scarf, in large, careless bows, and hanging 
fringed ends. A hunting coat of black velvet, decked with 
the buttons and cpauletts of his rank, and a rakish hat of 
the sombrero style, with a long black plume and divers gilt 
ornaments, complete a costume marked with an attractive 
cccentricit}^ Beneath the brim of this hat gleams a fjice that 
tells its own story ; keen Spanish-bright e)'es, a wild luxuri- 
ance of hair and mustache, bronzed cheeks and features all 
aglow wiih health and vigor. As one notes his step of care- 
less defiant self-confidence, one could readily credit accounts 
of even more reckless deeds of daring and audacious bravery 
than those linked to his name." 

The Captain, when Fremont was assigned to the " Depart- 
ment of the West," in the summer of 1861, proceeded to 
enlist out of his old comrades in Kansas-war times a band 
of twenty-four — every one of whom had stood the test of 
steel, and were fitted in powers of endurance for the danger- 
ous work upon which they were to embark. Proceeding to 
St. Louis their services were duly offered end gladly accepted; 
and, adopting the title of " Jessie Scouts " — in honor of Fre- 
mont's wife, Jessie Benton Fremont — were soon at their 
posts of danger. 



OF THE WAR. 837 

One of the first personal exploits of the Captain, Avliilc liis men 
■vvcrc diversely employed, was an excursion to New JIadrid in response 
to a desire expressed by General Fremont, for information respecting 
General Pillow. Disguised as a Confederate ollicer, Carpenter visited 
several planters residing in St, Louis, and representing himself as an 
officer whose term had expired, took their confidence and secured 
from them letters to General Pillow, a horse and other needed acces- 
saries to his success. Tluis provided, lie merrily wen<led his way 
toward General Pillow's camp, then stationed at New jMadrid and 
consisting of three thousand five liundred men. 

He adroitly inaugurated himself into tho confidence of General 
Pillow, learned from him many of his plans, and engaged himseff to 
raise a company of scouts from St. Louis for his service. The Gen- 
eral, delighted, gave him instructions how to proceed, furnishing him 
with passes, and knowledge how to smuggle his recruits across the 
river to Paducah, the only available entrance into the Confenderate 
lines. Before Captain Car2)enter departed on this expedition, he en- 
tered General Pillow's marquee, helped himself to all loosely-disposed 
papers and documents in the name of the United States, mounted the 
horse furnished him, and triumphantly rode away. At Paducah he 
hailed the Union gunboat Connestoga, and with some difficulty prov- 
ing his identity, Avas conA^eyed to St. Louis, Avhere he delivered the 
valuable intelligence he had obtained. This information Avas the 
means of securing the safety of Colonel Oglesby, Avho Avas in garrison 
at Cairo. 

His next exploit Avas a visit to the camp of Jefi". Thompson, upon 
Avhich excursion he appeared in the character of a crazy man, hatless, 
shoeless, and appropriately costumed, rejoicing in a Avound over his 
eye, which he had conveniently re-opened for the occasion. The Con- 
federates received him Avith some show of compassion, and their Med- 
ical Director, after examining his Avound, pronounced it a compound 
fracture of the skull. He Avas made bearer of dispatches to General 
Montgomery by General Fremont. En route lie encountered the fear- 
ful railway accident at Piatt's Bridge, IMo., from which, however, he 
escaped at first uninjured. After succoring many wounded, he went 
to the aid of tho conductor, Stephen Cutler, of Ncav York, Avho Avas 
lying crushed under a car. While endeavoring to extricate him the 
car again gave Avay, killing Cutler instantly and breaking Captain 
Carpenter's shoulder blade, Avho lay Avitli the dead body of Cutler in 
his arms for five hours before he Avas rescued. This accident detained 
him five days in Kansas City. On the sixth he mounted his horse, 
and the eighth saAV him at the head of his men. IHs Officers were 
Lieutenant Scott, afterward promoted to a captaincy in the U. S. A., 
43 2d 



838 1 X C 1 1) E N T S AND A X E C D T K S 

nnd Lieutenant Tlnhli. Crossing tlic river, by comniand of Major 
Barry, in order to take observations, they suddenly cainc upon a party 
of eight men, mounted, who chiinied to Ij;; squirrel hunting. The 
Captain, saving he was nn old hunter himself, desired to inspect the 
sort of s!iot they used in tlieir fi[)orts. The r;;suit was a di covery of 
two hundred and fifry rounds of cartridges in tiic pockets and siddic- 
bags of I lie fir.-t man overnauied. After twitting them awhile for 
their illy-seleeted annnunilion lor squirrel hunting, they confessed 
that tl'.ey belonged to a conii)any fsoni Platte county, ^lo., and were 
on their way to re-enforce General Price, '.vlio was then prep:uing for 
an altaek upon Mulligan, at Lexington. 

Captilin Carpenter sent them under guard lo Major Barry, asking 
for re-enforcements. Ti;e ]\iajor responded by sending sixty men and 
a howitzer mounted on an old i)ine box wagon ; but, before these ar- 
rived, the Ca])tain, becoming restive, made a dash into nandoli)U 
(a deserted town, the renilezvous of the rebel bands), and caplurcd 
seventeen prisoners, killed live of the band, and routed the rest. He 
took tliirty-five horses, fifteen or twenty shot-guns, and a large quan- 
tity of ammunition. Before leaving, he reduced Randolph to ashes. 
In this foray he was hit by a ball over the eye, which, to use his own 
expression, "only raised a blood blister." The news of this exploit 
spread rapidly through the country, and ujion liis return to Kansas 
City lie and his i)and were met by the acclamations of abotit two 
thousand jxoplc. Reporting himself at St. Louis, he -was sent by 
General Fremont to see what the rebel General Price was about. 
Dressed as a firmer, ho passed their pickets, and was emplo3'ed by 
their cliief Quartermaster as a teamster, and made one trip into the 
country, giving complete satisfaction. Discovering what he wished, 
tlie next day lie drove off witli a line team of mules, and negicrted to 
return. The mules he sold for one hundred and lifty d-'liurs, his title 
not being very good. 

Ills adventure into Price's camp illustrated the audacity 
of ilic man. H;;ving di.^poscd of liis mules lie determined 
again to look into Price's camp, and ascertain the conditiou 
of tilings bearing upon Lexington, ^vllere the bravx; Colonel 
Mulligan was tiieu undergoing a siege. The spy s;ud: 

" I went into Price's camp when Mulligan was at Lexington, I 
had a double-ban c'.led shot gun with both locks broken, and rode 
into the camp witli numbers of country peoi)le who were fl(>cking to 
join Price. I rode around freely, talking secession, and very soon 
saw hov,- things were going. I could sec plainly that ^Mulligan was in 
a tight place, and I started off for St. Louis as soon as possible, and 



OF TlIK WAR. 339 

i' 

gave llic iiirormation Uint JIulligan luust surrender. Twelve hours 
lifter, news c.inie timt lie had. 

"Fremont did id! he could lo help Mulligan ; hut 11 le telegraph 
*' tapper" (who was aflerward killed) got a dispatch wliicli. was sent 
by Fremont, lor Sturgis to move across the river to tlie sui^port of 
3Iailigin; and the rebels, having ])osscssion of our plans, snovccl 
ag.iinst Sturgis, and compelled him to fall back."' 

liovv ili.u. '' tupjicr " wus discovered and "got killed,'' the 
render wilJ be inlbruied. 

Rsttai-iiiiig to headquarter.'^, lie entered upon a new and 
novel experiment in order to discover by what my.s'.crious 
process t!ie rebels became posses.-ed of Fremont's telegrams, 
by meajis of which Mulligan's ca[)turc was secured. Being a 
line looking lellow, he was chosen to ingratiate himself in 
the conlideiice of a brilliant; woman known to bean emissary 
of the I'ebels in worming intelligence out of Federal oflicera 
whom slie lured by her charms — like the ''chivalrous" Bello 
Boyd, of Shenandoah Valley fame — to be her dupes. Tho 
Captain went lo work with a dash, and soon was deep in tho 
lady's affections. From lier he learned that the rebels had a 
plan lai I to destroy the Hannibal and St. Jo.se ph railroad; 
also that thej-c was a rebel s])y then in town, who was asso- 
ciated with some telegraphic operator intercepting all dis- 
patches pas.<ing from one [portion of the Union forces to 
another. This fact had long been apparent to those in com- ' 
mand. This spy was engaged as an escort for the St. Louis 
dame to the theatre that night, and, for the "consideration" 
of fifty dollars, she consented to feign sickness, and forego 
the play, that Captain Carj)enter's drama might be pei'fected. 
Upon the s})y's arrival. Captain C. was introduced to him as 
a brother sj)y from General Pillow's camp, and they wero 
soon sworn irien^B. Tliis man, whose name was Chiids, un- 
der the influence of liquor and friendship, became confiden- 
tial, and, before parting, disclosed to Carpenter the entire 
arrangement l)y which the telegrams were intercepted, inform- 
ing him at wliat point the instruriients iccre stationed. 

The Captain, selecting a trusty aid by the name of Ilale, 
continuously followed Chiids to a point some two hundred 



S40 INCIDENTS AND ANECDC^ES 

and fifty miles beyond St. Louis. Creeping stealthily tlirongh 
a tangled undergrowth, they hy and listened to the talk of 
Chihls to whom the telegrnph operator was dictating dis- 
patches then b;;ing sent, from General Fremont at St. Louis 
to General Lane at Leavenworth City, Kansas, Holding a 
brief counsel of war, the two concluded to put an end to 
these no less ingenious than scientific operations; and upon 
the moment they both fired, the first shot killing Jones, the 
operator, instantly, and wounding Childs in the side. Spring- 
ing up, Childs, with an oath of recognition, drew his bowie 
knife and made a fearful lunge at Carpenter. Hale threw 
himself between, and received a ghastly wound in his face, 
laying open his face diagonally. Cai-penter fired and Childs 
fell dead. Alone the Captain dragged the bodies to the river, 
took possession of their letters, papers, etc., and left their 
dishonored corpses to merited oblivion beneath its waters. 
Then securing the telegraphic apparatus, they followed, up 
the communicating wire some twenty two hundred feet to 
the telegraphic pole through which it had been conveyed 
ingeniously in a covered groove and fastened to the main 
tiers. It was of fine copper, neatly protected by silk. Laden 
with their prize they hailed the next down train and reached 
St. Louis to receive the commendation of their Generah 

The Captain, in conversing with a friend, thus referred to 
one of the humorous adventures of Ilariy Uale : 

" Henry Utile, one of tlic best scouts in the country, left Leaven- 
worth while ]\Iulligan Avas Ijcfore Lexington, with despatches. As lie 
rode along, men from every direction Avere going to join Price. He 
saw one old secessionist, with a little shot gun, and thought it avouIJ 
be a nice thing to drive off the old fellow, and take his horse into 
Lexington. 

" So he engaged the man in conversation, and^ctting an opportu- 
nity, put his revolver to the secessionist's head, ordered him to tie his 
gun to the saddle, to dismount, and finally to 'skedaddle.' The old 
man made tracks rapidly, glad to escape with ]«s life. Hale took the 
horse by the bridle, and rode on, whistling ' Yankee Doodle.' He had 
ridden a mile or two, when, at a turn of the road, he was suddenly 
ordered to halt. The old secessionist had procured another gun, and 
got ahead of him. The gun was squarely aimed at Hale's head. 



OF THE WAR. 341 

• Get ofF that horse,' cried the secessionist. Hale got clown. ' Tie 
that revolver to the saddle.' Hale obeyed. 'Pull off your pants.' 
Hale did it. ' Skedaddle '—an order which Hale at once carried into 
effect, merely savin;;, 'Well, Caj), I thought my shirt would come next 
— good bye.' The secessionist went off with the two horses, whistling 
'Dixie;' while Hale marched seven miles into Lexington, with only 
his coat and shirt on. His crat contained his dispatches. He will 
never be permitted to forget that seven mile march." 

In this campaign against Price the Scouts took the field as 
a mounted bod}^, performing much daring and arduous ser- 
vice. They were ubiquitous, and furnished Fremont, almost 
daily, with valuable infc^rmation as to the whereabouts of his 
rapidly "skedaddling" foe. 

Among the means adopted to secure desired information, 
Carpenter rode down to the rebel pickets at Wilson's 
creek, dressed as a woman, to deliver a letter to a suppo- 
sitious brother in Price's army. He bore witness to the po- 
liteness of the rebel officers, who escorted the lady half way 
back to Fremont's lines. This trip was made because "the 
General " wanted to know, precisely, the position of a part 
of the rebel lines. 

General Fremont being superseded, in the very midst of 
this his first campaign, the Scouis, like the famous Body 
Guard, were discharged without thanks. But, not like the 
Body Guard, they offered their services to Halleck, who 
again adopted them — nom-de-plume and all. While his men 
were off on detached service, looking after the bridge-burn- 
ers and guerrilla leaders, the Captain made a trip into the 
interior where he soon became a prominent member of the 
"Blue Lodges," formerly known as the "Knights of the 
Golden Circle." These lodges were organized in every 
township, and when forces were demanded by the rebel au- 
thorities, they cast lots who should go, those remaining be- 
ing taxed for their support. In this way he learned the 
projects and time appointed for the destruction of the Han- 
nibal and St Joseph raiload. He reported this to General 
Halleck, who, not deeming them possessed of sufficient force, 
2d2 



S42 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

took no mcnns of preventing it. The plan, liowcvcr, W33 
matured, und the railroad destroyed upon tlic day set. llo 
also \vas made cogni/.ant of the fact that a large force would 
leave Lcxin.^ton to join Price, which he also rc}H>rtcd to 
General Ilallcck, wlio laid })lan3 result ing in the capture of 
eleven hundred of the rebels. 

At Platte City, during this "expedition," he had an ad' 
venture, which he thus i-efcrrcd to: 

•"At Platto City I inadu a speccli to the rebels in favor of Jcfi". Da« 
vis, wliic'.i was very successful ; l>ut in tlu; afternoon a fellow in town 
recognized me and had mc seized. They jiut me under guard in a 
house ; but the same night I got out, got on a horse wliicli fell in my 
way, and rode out till I ran in the dark against two rebel videttes. 
Tliey stopped me and I explained to then) that I was hurrying oa to 
bring up some recruits who were wanted ; but the men were obsti- 
nate, and would not let me go v;ithout a pass. So I proposed to ono 
to go in with mc to headqurirters, and I would get him my pass. IIo 
consented. We walked our horses in along tlie roatl. My cas3 was 
desperate: if they caught mc tliey would hang me. I talked to tho 
man in the dark till we were some distance in, then suddenly pulled 
out my knife, and with one stab, slew him. I waited awhile, then 
rode l)ack to where the other vidette rcnuiincd and lianded him a 
piece of an old letter, saying tliere's the pass. He must go to tho 
gmoulderhig (ire in tho wood near I)y to examine it, and as he did so 
I knocked him over, and rode off.' 

"In the guise of a Confederate officer, attenrled by Lieutenant 
Robb, who personated an orderly-sergeant, ho entered Kentucky' to 
find out the strengtli and sentinututs of tha people. So complete was 
their disguise that they were several times arrested by the Federal 
troops, at whom they railed in no mild terms, thus attracting tho 
sympathies of the seccsh citizens. Upon being delivered to their 
kaoping, these citizens loaded thom witli expressions of good will, 
intruste.l then^ with letters for friends in the interior, besides money 
for their incidental expenses. Having possessed themselves of all dc- 
Bi;ed items of news, they returned to General Halleck; but soon after 
went scouting from Cairo into the iicigliborhood of Biadensviile, 
•where the Captain and Lieutenant Robb were captured by a l)aker'a 
dozen of rel^els, and carried to Union City. Ten of the party went to 
a dance in the evening, the remaining throe formmg a guard. Two 
of the guard got drunk, and watching a favorable moment, the pris- 
oners sjirang upon the sober man and made an end of him ; dispatch* 



OF THE WAR, 



843 



ing tlic two others v.itli llicir own weapons, they adopted tlicir use- 
less imifornis and arms, niomited tlieir liorse:5 and rode away. Tlicn, 
by means of forgetl passes, tliey obtained admission into General Zol- 
likollcr's camp, and liaviniij imjiortant dispatclies to General Brecken- 
ridj;e, they were iV.rnisi'il witli fresh liorses, which boro them safely 
vitliin the Union lines. By General Ilalleck's order, they went from 
Cairo to Price's Landing, and destroyed every skill' to be found. 
Wliile rummaging through a warehouse at Price's Landing, they 
found a large quantity of quinine, of which they took possession, 
Belling it to pay for the trouble of seizing it. 

"Tlic next expedition of the doughty Captain was under General 
JlcClernand up the Tennessee river, pending tlie attack of Fort 
Henry. Crawling inside the pickets, close up to the breastworks, he 
obtained a complete plan of the fort. Subsequently he entered Fort 
Poneliion with the same success, discovering the presence of Generals 
Pillow and Floyd. On his way back, before he got beyond the pick- 
ets, lie perceived a body of rebel cavalry, who were on their way to 
destroy the railroad bridge over the Tennessee river, twenty miles 
above Fort Henry. This party, after some consultation in regard to 
being burdened by the care of their flag, left it, to be returned by the 
joickets. As soon as they were out of sight, he took tiic flag, wrapped 
it around him, and with the staff sought his horse, which he had hid- 
den in the mountains, and rode into the Union camp with the Con- 
federate flag flying." 

This fl;ig was placed on exliibiiion in a sbow-windovv of 
St. Louib", and attmckd only too much attention, ior the 
Captani's nurnerous exploits became not only the theme of 
general convei'salion but also of remark by the press; and 
therealter the "seccsh" published his going and coming so 
carefully as to render it rather annoying, particularly ^vhell 
it was desirable that his identity should not be known, 

"The Scouts were present at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and, 
after many other adventures in that section, they joined Fremont ia 
the Mountain Department of Virginia, to pursue their daring life. 
While scouting with eleven of his men in the vicinity of Harrison- 
burg, he fell in with the Quartermaster of Ashby's cavalry, who was 
purchasing horses. The Captain, riding uj), told him 'he believed he 
was a Yankee.' 

"The Quartermaster indignantly produced a letter from Ashby, 
proving his identity. 

"'Well,' savs the Captain, 'then we're all Di.xic boys. You scorn 



344 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

all right. How's Jackson? — and Ewell ? Got Banks yet?' Aflo 
dininij together at a house on the roa'd, the Scouts sold their horses to 
the Quartermaster, receiving nine hundred and litty dollars in Con- 
federate scrip. The Captain then proposed to give him a couple of 
negroes to drive tlie horses home, and, lighting cigars, they rode en tc 
get them. The Captain led the way into the Union camp at Franklin,, 
deceiving him on the road in regard to the pickets; and, finally, ap, 
jirising the horse-dealer that he was a prisoner— a fact received by 
him with self-cursing enough to have doomed all of Ashby's troops 
to perdition." 

At the time of Jackson's sudden dash upon Banks the 
Scouts were off toward Strasburg, and became aware of the 
movement before Banks knew it, but could not report it to 
him. Thej rode liard with the news to Fremont's camp at 
Franklin, and thus put the "Pathfinder'' on the march to 
Banks' rehef. In that very severe iramp over tl:e moun- 
tains toward Sirasburg, the hai-dy riders were ever out so 
far on the advance as to be taken by tlie peoj)le on the way 
for bushwhaskers — else they must have fallen into the hands 
of men of that class, who were ready, at almost every favor- 
able opportunity, to shoot down the straggling Federal sol- 
dier, or to i)ounce upon the belated teamster who could not 
.keep up with his train. They were on the alert, and in their 
element, during the pursuit of Jackson up the valley. Two 
of the band, named Bredon and Pendleton, were captui'ed 
at Strasburg while trying to get a communication to General 
Shields. They attempted to escape fi-om the guard-house at 
Port Bcpublic by leaping from a second-story window. 
Bredtm alighted upon the neck and shoulders of a rebej sol- 
dier, causing his instant death. Their escape was prevented, 
and botli Bredon and Pendk'ton remained in the keeping of 
the enemy. 

After Jackson's masterly movement out of the val]e\' and 
down upon McClellan's left wing, Fremont's badly-used 
column enjoyed a few weeks' ]-est and jecuperalicn. Tho 
Scouts, however, were busy as bees with the bushwhackers, 
whom they pursued with rclcntle-s furv. Upon Fi-cmont'? 
resignation, the Scouts again were out of commission — theii 



OF THE WAR. 345 

occupation was gone — ^and the band broke ujx Carpcntet 
having become so well known in the enemy's country, eatt 
and west, couki not pursue his j^ersonal adventures as spy, 
aad did not, afterward, enter the service. 



XXXIV. 

SOMETHING FOR TIIS UNINITIATED. 

Although a large proportion of the able bodied men of 
the country have seeu service, and therefore know all about 
the conduct of a battle and the uses of " field works," tliere 
are yet many suiy-at-homes, many women, and many of the 
rising generation to whom the dcscriDtions of a battle are full 
of unexplained words or plirases, which renders the account 
somewhat unintelligible. For such we add this explanatory 
chapter from the pen of '^one who lias been there and knows." 
lie says; 

" We read in the betters of corrcsjxHidcnts from all our armies -iibout 
lines of *abattis,' and ' \v<irks,' and 'second iiues,' but those gcutle 
men, knowinjjj well what these affairs aix*, take it for granted their 
readers know also, aiul 4iever vouchsafe to cxj)lain. Now, a line of 
works, fijood, unsoiihisticated reaxk-r, consists of Jogs or mils piled up 
to aliout the heiglit of an ordinary foiir-rail-ed civilized fiiwca. On 
this side is a cut, a ditch about three feet wide and thesame in de2)tlu 
The earth is thrown up on this fence until it becomes a compact, ex- 
tended embankment or line. Standing in the ditch yon would be 
fully as safe from all manner of dangecotis niissiloe as jou now are at 
home. Balls may occasionally whistle z-z-z zip over you, and hit men 
some distance l>ehind the works, cspe^.aliy if the enemy hold higli 
pround, but if you are ijehind the fiiendly pile of earth, will feel 2)er- 
fectly safe. Slits are cut in these embankments wherever the cannon 
are stationed. Outside of tiiesc works there are often felled trees or 
'abattis,'' so placed as to make it impossible for cavalry to ride over 
the infantry to make a charge tiirough them. When the attempt is 
made, as it Ijas been often on both sides during the war, hundreds of 
U 



S40 IXC IDE NTS AND ANECDOTEfJ 

the .'illaclcing party arc slain Ity those l)chln(l the breastworks, whoso 
nini ill .such cases is as ecrtaiii, by the nearness of the foe, as their 
own jicrsons are secure by the jirotection of the works, 

''These works are wliat are called the ' second lir.es,' and are always 
the si roiigTst because they are made refuges in case''iirst lines' arc 
carried. ' Fii-st lines' are usually occupied in force, but arc of a less 
ormir.able character to assailants. They are, generally, lliat is, when 
circumstances allow, from a half to three-quarters of a mile in advance 
of the second lines. Still further 'MI, as near as the enemy -will suffer, 
skirmishers are entrenching themselves. They ilo not ibnn a long 
line, but are stationed here and tliere in little breastworks and trenches 
of their own, which are designated as ' rille jjits.' The occupant of 
each of ihese io expected to keep up a constant fire on the inimical 
pit-dweller in his front or those within range, and his work is called 
'sharp shooting.' In the first lines the bulk of the army generally 
repose, relieved now and then by the ' reserves' in the second lines. 
If artillery is used, and it generally is when armies thus confront each 
other, ' bomb proofs ' protect the soldiers. These arc nothing more 
than holes dug at the base of the works, and shaded !>y tent-fiies. It 
is almost impossible for a ball to enter them, except where the enemy 
occupy elevated positions. In such cases the hole is roofed by im- 
mense logs, superposed against the edge of the hole and the side of 
the embankment. These may be struck, Imt the occupants rarely 
suffer by the concussion. If, as is often the case— as was in front of 
Petersburg, and in front of Atlanta — the duty of skirmishing is im- 
jiossibie on some parts of the lines, becausi: «)f their exceeding close- 
ness, the earthworks themselves shelt(;r the sharp-shoo ter>, and little 
boles punched tiirough the earth and rails, for their operation.-;. Tho 
circuit of range is increased by making the whole in the form of a 
funnel wit'i the sides bent toward each other, the small end inward. 

" ' Parallels* and 'zig-zags' are nothing but earthworks modified in 
position. If an uncoven.'d advance is not too hazardous, line after 
line is built towant the poifft to be taken; each line is s.onu'times 
only a few feet ahead and {parallel with the last. This ccmrse seems 
to have been pursued i)y Granger in his operations against Fort Mor- 
gan. But if the enemy are alert, advances must bo nnu'e either as 
Price ir.a<le his against Lexingtcm, by rolling our fortifications before 
us, or liy running parallel or cross lines, say to the left, for instance, 
and then other lines from these lines to the right, joining the parallel 
lines to the left. The result is, as the reader will see if ho takes tho 
trouijle to draw a diagram from this discriptson, a serrated line, dig- 
nified in military parlance as a 'zig-zag.' He -will see, also, that the 
uorking parli<i£ thro\Yiug up these lines have almost a perfect iiumU' 



OF THE WAIl. 847 

nity from danger, since their dliovcls mako to tlieni a stnmg protcc« 
tion every foot they advance. The position of tlie enemy will modify 
the angles of departure from oiir works, of Avhicli we have just 
sooken. By means of tliese zig-zags, as at Vicksbnrg, Grant and 
Pemberton apjiroaclied so near each otlier that at particuhir points 
the men on cacli side couhl almost cross bayonets, especially where 
the angles of the rebel zig-zag were opposite to tlie angles of our 
zig-zag/' 

"In going into battle, a reasoning man at first feels alarmed, and 
his Jlrst impulse is to run away; and if he has no motive to stand, he 
probably does run. But at each adiiitional exposure he grovvs less 
timid, and after hearing canister and grape about his ears a dozen 
times, begins to think he is not destined to be, hurt, lie .slill feels 
rather uneasy, perhaps ; but the danger acquires a sort of fa^-cination ; 
and, though he does not wish to be hit, he likes to have narrow es- 
capes, and so voluntarily jjlaces himself in a position v.here he can 
incur more risk. After a little while he begins to reason (he matter — ■ 
reflects on the doctrine of Probabilities, and liow nuicli ])()W(!er and 
lead is necessarily wasted before any man is killed or wounchnl. Why 
should he be, he thinks, so muc'i more unlucky than many other 
people. 

" So reasoning, he soon can hear the whizzinir of I)ullets with a tol- 
erable degree of equanimity, though he involuntarily dodges, or tries 
to dodge, the cannon balls and shells that go howling about liis im- 
mediate neighborhood. In the afternoon he is quite a ditVirent crea- 
ture from what lu! was in the morning, and unwiitingly .smiles to sec 
ii man betray the same trepidation whieli he hinisJf exhibited a few 
hours before. The more he is exposed to fire, tlie better he can bear 
it, and the tiniiil being of to-day beciimes the hero of tomorrow; 
and he who runs from danger o!i his first Ijatlle fi(;ld, may run into it 
on the next, and court the hazard once so dreaded. Tims courage, as 
it is styled, is little more, with most men, than cnstiiui ; and they soon 
learn to despise what is often tlireaten(!d without causing tliem harm." 
One feature of the servii^e i.s not oft^ii maUe the .^ulject 
of notice, but deserves it-, nevertheless — wo mean the signal 
corps' operations. Their stojy has I'licited but litile atten- 
tion, ^'ct what invaluable service did the}'- render during the 
war! A member of the corps connected with Sherm;^.n"3 
army supi>lied this sketch of the manner of signaling: 

" Probaijly no class of men employed in the army are more useful 
than those engaged in the duty of sending army dispatches from ono 
point to another by means of signal flags. These flags are of differ- 



813 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

ent colors— wliite, black or red— to suit the circumstances of tlie case. 
They Jire cither four or six feet square, fastened to painted jwles, the 
length of which can be increased or diminished as required. The 
officers in charge of a station are furnished Avith field glasses and 
powerful telescopes, by means of which they can read the signals 
from tw U'e to eighteen miles distant. For night work, torches are 
used. Ti.e operation of transmitting signals is performed in this 
mmnor : The message is sent to the signal station, Avliich is generally 
located in the highest tree upon the loftiest mountain or hill-top. 
The officer in charge arranges his 'key' upon a circular pasteboard 
instrument, marked with numbers. AVhen all is ready, by the turn- 
ing of tiiis disc, the proper numbers appear, and are called olT to the 
flagman. Thi.s flagman, on hearing the number, immediately places 
the flag in the jiosition indicated. 

"Thus waving the flag according to a number, requiring it to move 
from right to left, will mean a certain word. The flag is then 
Btraiglitened up, and another number called, which may raise the flag 
above the bearer's head, or drop it to the ground. Again, some num- 
ber called out causes the flagman to make a motion with the flag that 
conveys a whole fientcncc of information to a distant stAtion, where 
another signal officer has been reading off tlirough the telescope the 
numbers previously sent. The reader of the dispatch sits looking 
through his glass, calling off the numbers to his assistant, avIio notes 
them down upon the field-book. When the entire message has been 
received the numbers are transmitted to the next station, and so on 
until it reaches the General to whom it is sent. 

"The whole time occupied in sending a dispatch of thirty lines is 
generally less than as many minutes. Tlie fla'gman, by constant prac- 
tice, works rapidly, and the reader calls the number with equal speed ; 
and when there are two or more officers or flagmen at a station, the 
message is passed on to the next as fast as it is received. When the 
numbers reach the last station, the 'key' signal is sent over, and be- 
ing properly adjusted, the officers at tlie receiving station can then 
write»!)ut for or read the message to his commanding General. These 
'keys' are constantly changed. A combination of 'keys' is arranged 
between two commanding Generals in a manner that insures their dis- 
patches against any chance of being read by even the officers mak4ng 
the signals, and, of course, if the rebels saw them they would be un- 
able to decipher ihem. For instance. General Slicrman has arranged 
■with General Howard that the 'key' to his dispatches shall be sent 
under cover of a particular word. Accordingly, when that word is 
received, General Howard has the key that unlocks the remainder 
of the dispatch. 



OF THE WAR. 349 

" On Monday morning General Slierman may make use of a 'key' 
that lie discards in tlic afternoon. Tlic afternoon 'key' is known to 
General Howard by the word that accompanies the message. If Gen- 
eral Sherman wishes to speak with General Logan, who may be sta- 
tioned m\les away, his arrangement of ' key ' words may be totally 
different from those used in communicating with Howard. 

" Signal officers, by long practice, arc often able to abbreviate mes- 
sages, esjjccially when they know that the station beyond is commanded 
by an officer familiar with the abbreviations. A by-stander, looking 
on when a message is being sent, will see ihc flags in the hands of the 
men near him waving rapidly, and strain his eyes in every direction 
to see wht.re the persons are who are taking notes. He will see no 
one, unless favoreil by a sight through the telescope at a station. The 
great merit of thts system of signaling consists in the secrecy with 
which messages maybe sent and answers returned; aUliougli it is 
equally advantageous in an engagement, when secret messages are not 
required, and orelers are rapidly conveyed from one point of the field 
to another. It is at this time that the signal officers and men arc in 
the greatest danger. The rebels have an offensive way of intercept- 
ing dispatches with ]\Iinic bullets, sent by the rifle of some sharp- 
shooter detailed to pick oiT the flagmen and others engaged at tho 
siffual station." 



XXXV. 

FIRST REBEL "INVASION." 

The advance of Lee into Marylan:"!, after Laving pressed 
Pope back upon the Wasliingtoa defenses, seemed to be a 
matter of course. Not daring to assault Washington, Jie 
could not permit the advance to be fruitless. Throwing Pope 
back was nothing in itself, since, united with McClellan's 
force, a new army v/ould soon be ready for a new descent 
upon Richmond, or for active oj)erations elsewhere. It was 
requisite fur Lee, therefore, to attempt the long threatened 
"invasion" of the Nortli, and tlius settle the question as to 

tlie possibility cf making Maryland and Pennylvania the 
2e 



850 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

seat of war. Pollard sa\-s : '-The immediate designs of tliis 
movement of the Confederate commander were to seize 
Harper's Ferry, and to te-t the spirit of the Marylanders;" 
but the secret of it was the Jieces.^it}' of appeasing the clamor 
of that party in the Confederate Congress which pressed the 
policy of invasion. Probably no person, better than Lee, 
understood the dangers of a move over the Potomac, when 
he must encounter the enraged lion of Northern spirit which 
an invasion must arouse. 

So he moved cautiously, keeping close to the Potomac, 
making a first dash upon Harpers Ferry, thus to secure an 
avenue of retreat down the Shenandoah valley. Encamped 
in the vicinity of Centreville and Fairfax Court House. on 
the 1st and 2d of September, on the od, the entire Confede- 
rate f >rcc of three grand divisions or coi'ps advanced, by 
Leesbni-g, ci'ossing at AVhite's Ferry, Point of Eocks, and 
other fords in this vicinity, on the 5th and Gth Jackson's 
corps, on ihc advance, moved upon Fi'edeiuck City. Long- 
street ])assed on to Hagerstown, while Hill took position at 
Boonstwu to be within supporting distance of ciiher corps. 
September 8th, from near Fredericktovvn, Lee issued his 
proclamation to the ])Cople of lilaryland, citing their griev- 
ances, the tyranny of the Federal Government, etc., and 
calling upon said people to arise and prove their birthright 
by throwing off the tyrant's chains. For the purpose of 
assisting them he was there. But, they did not arise, save 
to repel the professed friend who would ] lunge their State 
into the vortex of revolution, and thus become the bloody 
arena which Virginia m.ust continue to be should Maryland 
remain steadfast to her Federal obligations. Literally no- 
thing came out of that poweiful appeal, save the aggravating 
demonstration to the Confederates that Maryland was unal- 
terably loyal to the Union. 

'J'o open the line of retreat, Jackson left the vicinity of 
Fredcricktown on th.e 10th, re-crossed the Potomac at Wil- 
liamsport on the 11th. Jackson's command consisted of 
A. P. Hill's division, composed of six brigades; Ewell's di- 



OF THE WAR. S51 

vision, composed of four briu'^ndes, and Jackson's own divis- 
ion, composed of four brigades — each division having :i full 
coniplcnicnt of arlilleiy. These fbi-ccs (h'iving out tlie Fed- 
eral brigade of General Julius White at Marlinsburg, closed 
in tipon Harper's Feny, then helil by Colonel D. S. Miles, 
with about twelve thousand troops. To comjilcte the envi- 
ronment of the place, Lee had dispatched Iv. II. Andrews' 
and McLivv's two divisions against Maryland Heights, on 
tlic Maryland side, overlooking and commanding Harper's 
Ferrv, while a third division, under Genend J. G. Walker, 
passed below, crossed the Potomac and advanced up the river 
to gain possession of Loudon Heights, south of the Ferry 
and east of the Shenandoah valley. Th.cse vny lieavy 
movements showed what importance Lee attached to secu- 
ring that gate of escape. Tb.ej' were successful, for, after 
well-contested advances on the afternoon of the 1-lth, and 
a powerful attack on the morning of the loth, ^liles had to 
succumb, and the white flag was shown. Almost at the mo- 
.ment of its appeararice Miles was mortally woundrd, and 
General Julius AVhitc assumed th.e responsibility of the sur- 
render. The force Vvdiich stacked arms was eleven ih^usand 
five hundred and eighty-three. Tl:e small arms delivered 
amounted to tliirtecn thousand, and tlic artillery to seventy- 
three guns. Tlic stores, ammunition, cquipm.ents, ma- 
chinery, etc., secured by the enemy Avcrc of inunense value 
to them — hungry and ragged as thc}^ were. Th.e cavahy, 
two thousand strono-, under Colonel Davis, assumed ihc re- 
feponsibility of escaping from the net on the night of the 
13th. Crossing the river on a pontoon, and passing through 
the enemy's lines, they appeared, most unexpeetcdly, ai Green- 
castle, Pa., having captured on the way an ammunition irain 
of Longstreet's coi'ps, consisting of over lift}^ loaded wagons. 

Had Miles held out but a day longer he would h.ave been 
succored — the battle of South Mountain placing the corps 
of Franklin within short marching distance, and rendering 
it necessary for Leo to concentrate all his commands to se- 
cure his own retreat. 



852 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

McClellan again having assumed commaiid of the forces 
in and around Washington, assigned Banks to the defenses, 
and, with the great bulk of the original Army of the Poto- 
mac, all k'ft of the Armv of Viro-inia, Burnside's two di- 
visions from IS'orth Carolina, Cox's '-'Kanawha division," 
Sturgis' division of new troops, etc., marched into Maryland 
to confront his old adversary. Lis lines were thrown for- 
ward with extreme caution. The necessity of keeping 
"Washington " well covered " rendered this caution necessary, 
though it did not render it necessary to leave Colonel Miles' 
command unsupported. However, as McOlellan requested 
Halleck, on the 11th, to have Colonel Miles evacuate the po- 
sition at the Ferry to join the main column, the General's 
general defense is, that he was not responsible for Miles' 
predicament. 

Finding Lee had retired from Fredericktown on the 12th 
and was concentrating in the direction of Boonsboro', Mc- 
Clellan ])usned on after him. Burnside's command — consist- 
ing of the 9th Corps, under Eeno, and 1st Corps, under 
Hooker — was m Fredericktown on the 12th. On the 13th, 
the command of Sumner — comprising the 12th Corps, under 
Williams, and •2d Corps, Sumner's own — was in the State 
capital, and Franklin's command at Buckeyetown, with 
Sykes' division, at Frederick. It was his well-concentrated 
adv^ance wliich caused the rebel retrograde movement. 
There was no ho]~)C of Mainland's "risi-ng to throw off the 
Lincoln yoke ; " the response to Leels proclamation has been 
dismally w^ak ; ihe tremendous uprising of militia in Penn- 
sylvania and New York was, in itself, threatening of hot 
work ; while the solid j)halanx moving up from AVashington, 
of about eighty thousand men, forewarned the enemy that 
his adventure in Maryland was at an end as soon as he could 
make retreat secure. Lee's excellent generalship saved his 
arm}^ A less sagacious head — a less steady hand, would 
have given the Federal arms a victory almost decisive of the 
Confederacy's fate. 

The stand made by the enemy at iDOonsboro' gap of the 



OF THE W A R . 353 

Soutli inoiintain was, first, to give Jackson time lo do liis 
woi'k; second, to call in Longstreet IVorn Uagerstown; and, 
tbii'd, to restore Jackson's support to the m;iin column at the 
propitious moment, when, acting as a ve-enforcernent, they 
would give the rebel arms new strengtli, under cover of 
which the retreat into Virginia could be made — all shrewdly 
arranged and carried out with success. 

The Federal advance stcrted on the morning of Sunday, 
the 14di — Pleasanton's cavalry, with two batteries, having 
opened the battle at the gap at 7 A. M., Cox's division soon 
was on the ground, and proceeded to " feel " of the crest of the 
mountain, finding the enemy in j^ossession of it with heavy 
artillery in position. Reno's corps coming on, tlie " Ka- 
nawha division" was put into the assault. Colonel Scam- 
mon's brigade walked right up the hill, in the face of a 
furious fire from artillery and small arms, and won the crest. 
The supports. Crook's brigade, soon followed, and, after some 
delay, a section of a battery, which, being placed in a posi- 
tion, opened with canister, at very short range, upon the 
enemy's line. The rebels held on tenaciously, but had to 
withdraw before the scathing storm showered upon them. 

Foregoing further attempts to regain their lost ground a 
lull took place in the struggle about noon — the enemy, under 
cover of the rocks and trees, moving into new lines ; and 
suddenly, about 2 P. M., the fire of a battery on the old 
Sharpsburg road cut the advance of Wilcox's division in a 
fearful manner for a few moments. A temporary panic en- 
sued, but it was soon over, wdien the cannonade from both 
lines became rapid, and bloody in results. McClellan, hav- 
ing field command, ordered an advance of his entire line, 
when the forces of Burnside moved forward with a shout, 
up the hill-sides, over the intervening gullies, and up into 
the rebels' late quarters. This won tlie battle, though seve- 
ral efforts were made late in the evening, by the enemj^, to 
regain their hold upon the mountain crest. During one of 
these attacks General Reno was killed. 

Hooker's corps, coming up from Monocacx, crossed the 
45 2e2 



354: I X C I I) K N T S AND A X E C D O T K S 

Catoct'm crock nt (mic v. m. I'v^nn tLencc lie movcil in upon 
tlie lincclosiii<'':n-()U!i(l South in(junt;iin, jis.-r.miiiLT the Federal 
right. Ill the general ULlvanee oi'dered, the cor[)rf crowded 
its eoluiniis up the luountaiu sido.-^, encountering most obsti- 
nate resistanc'-, and only wuii its position, at length, on tho 
ridge oi' t!ie lii'st range, after :i fight of over five hours' du- 
ration. 

The enemy having no hope of sueccs?, and Longstrects 
corps having moved in from Ilagerstown, ihc retreat of the 
entire commrnds of Hill a.nd I/)ngstreet took place during 
the night (!4th) ; a.nd M-Clellan awakened, at early dawn, 
to find the enemy gone. A rather tardy pursuit followed, 
find Lee was discovered occupying a very strong position on 
the heigiits r.roiind Shari)sburg, vrcst of Antietam creek. 
As the Fedei'al columns ajrproached, jNIonday afternon (loth), 
by the Sharpsburg turnpike and by the road from Keedys- 
ville, tiie < neniy opened on them v/itli artillery, vvdiich was 
soon answered by the guns of JJichanlson's division, the first 
on the ground, ovkes' division was next up and in |)ositiou 
on the left of the Sharpsburg road— Richardson having the 
right. The. enemy evidently had resolved here to test ilieir 
Strength, ]::;ving all iliinu'S in their f^ivor, of position, while, 
iu case u\ dc-feat, Harper's Ferry and Williamsport lay open 
for till ir escape. 

The Antictatn creek, a deep and sluggish stream, was 
spanned, in tho vicinit}- chosen, by four stone bridges, the 
crossing of the highways leading towai'd the Potomac. The 
Federal centi-e was gathered aiound the bridge (jf the Sharps- 
burg ])ike, known as bridge number two, of the four. Oppo- 
site to it w;is tlie enemy's centre. Bridge number three, 
opposite the enemy's right, vras covered on the east by Burn- 
side's cor[)s, v.diich, at the proper moment, vras to carry it by 
storm, and, by assailing Lee's left, press it in upon his centre 
in and beyond Sharpsburg — a part of the programme exe- 
cuted wuh awful L'ss but with magnificent bravery bv the 
divisions ()f Cox, Rodman and Sturgis — all under command 
of Cox. To the right of IfcClellan's line, Hooker, Sumner 



OF THE WAR, 855 

and Franklin were assigned, to cross at bridge number one, 
and make the chief attack upon the rebel left. 

Nothing occurred oa Monday but the artillery fire with 
Eichardson and Sykes. All day Tuesday the Federal army 
was coming up and getting into position. At four r. M., 
Hooker was thrown across the creek at the upper bridge, 
number one, and obtained a good position on the rebel left. 
He was met, at six P. m. in his advance to find the enemy, 
by a severe fire, which gave him the whereabouts of his ad- 
versary. Mansfield's corps followed over the creek the same 
evening, to be ready for Hooker's support in the morning's 
battle, which, it was known, must be severe. At daybreak, 
the Confederates opened the combat with a tremendous out- 
burst of artillery and small arms, and the ever memorable 
battle of Antietam was inaugurated. From the numerous 
accounts of this great contest, written from the battle-field, 
that to the New York Tribune was regarded as the best, and 
we quote it, as well because it is a fine battle picture as for 
the incidental and personal nature of ifs story : 

The position on eitlicr side was peculiar. "When Ricliardson ad- 
vanced on Monday he found the enemy dcploj-ed and disphiyed in 
force on a crcscent-sliapcd ridgg, the outline of ■u'liicli followed more 
or less exactly the course of Antietam creek. Their lines were then 
forming, and the revelation of force in front of the ground AvhicU 
they really intended to hold, was probably meant to delay our attack 
until their arrangements to receive it were complete. 

During tlie day they kept their troops exposed, and did not move 
them even to avoid the artillery fire, which must have been occasion- 
ally annoying. Next morning the lines and columns whicli had dark- 
ened cornfields and hill-crests, had been withdrawn. Broken and 
wooded ground behind the sheltering hills concealed the rebel masses. 
What from our front looked like only a narrow summit fringed with 
woods, was a broad table-land of forest and ravine ; cover for troops 
everywhere, nowhere easy access for an enemy. The smoothly-sloping 
surface in front and the sweeping crescent of slowly mingling lines 
was only a delusion. It was all a rebel stronghold beyond. 

Under the base of these hills runs the deep stream called Antietam 
creek, fordable only at distant points. Three bridges cross it — one 
on the Ilagcrstowu road, one on the Sharpsburg pike, one to the left 



856 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

in a deep recess of steeply falling hills. Hooker passed tlie first to 
reach the ford by ■which he crossed, and it was held by Pleasanton 
"with a reserve of cavalry during the battle. The second was close 
tinder the rebel centre, and no way important to yesterday's fight. At 
the third, Burnside attacked and finally crossed. Between the first 
and third lay most of the battle lines. They stretched four miles 
from right to left. 

Unaided attack in front was impossible. McClellan's forces lay be- 
hind low, disconnected ridges in front of the rebel summits, nearly 
all underwooded. They gave some cover for artillery, and guns were 
therefore massed on the centre. The enemy had the Shepherdstown 
road and the Hagerstown and Williamsport road both open to him in 
rear for retreat. Along one or the other, if beaten, he must fly. This, 
among other reasons, determined, perhaps, the plan of battle which 
McClellan finally resolved on. 

The plan was generally as follows ; Hooker was to cross on the 
right, establish himself on the enemy's left if jjossible, flanking his 
position, and to open the fight. Sumner, Franklin and Mansfield 
were to send their forces also to the right, co-operating with and sus- 
taining Hooker's attack while advancing also nearer the centre. The 
heavy work in the centre was left mostly to the batteries. Porter 
massing his infantry supports in the hollows. On the left, Burnside 
was to carry the bridge already referred to, advancing then by a road 
which enters the pike at Sharjisburg, turning at once the rebel left 
flank and destroying his liue of retreat. Porter and Sykes were held 
in reserve. It is obvious that the complete success of a plan contem- 
plating widely divergent movements of separate corps, must largely 
depend on accurate timing, that the attacks should be simultaneous 
and not successive. 

Hooker moved on Tuesday afternoon at four, crossing the creek at 
a ford above the bridge and well to the right, without opposition. 
Fronting southwest his line advanced not quite on the rebel flank but 
overlapping and threatening it. Turning ofl" from the road after 
passing the stream, he sent forward cavalry skirmishers straight int(» 
the woods and over the fields beyond. Rebel pickets withdrew slowly 
before them, firing scattering and liarmless shots. Turning again to 
the left, the cavalry went down on the rebel flank, coming suddenly 
close to a battery which met them with unexpected grajje and canis- 
ter. It being the nature of cavalry to retire before batteries, this 
company loyally followed the law of its being, and came swiftly back 
without pursuit. 

Artillery was sent to the front, infantry was raj^idly deployed, and 
skirmishers went out in front and on either flank. The corps moved 



OF THE WAR. 357 

forward compactly, Hooker as usual reconuoitering in person. They 
canu; at last to an open grass-sown field enclosed on two sides with 
woods, protected on the right by a hill, and entered through a corn- 
field in the rear. Skirmishers entering these woods were instantly 
met by rebel shots, but held their ground, and as soon as supported 
advanced and clear^id the timber. Beyond, on the left and in front, 
volleys of musketry opened heavily, and a battle seemed to liave be- 
gun a little sooner than it was expected. 

General Hooker former! his lines with precision and without hesita- 
tion. Ricketts' division went into the Avoods on the left in force. 
Meade, Avith the Pennsylvania Reserves, formed in the centre. Double- 
day was sent out on the right, planting his batteries on the hill, and 
opening at once on a rebel battery that began to enfilade the central 
line. It was already dark, and the rebel position could only be dis- 
covered by the flashes of their guns. They pushed forward boldly 
on the right, after losing ground on the other flank, but made no at- 
tempt to regain their first hold on the woods. The fight flashed, and 
glimmered, and faded, and finally went out in the dark. 

Hooker had found out what he wanted to know. When the firing 
ceased the hostile lines lay close to each other — their i)ickets so near 
that six rebels were "captured during the night. It was inevitable 
that the fight should recommence at daylight. Neither side had suf- 
fered considerable loss ; it was a skirmish, not a battle. " We are 
through for to-night, gentlemen," remarked the General, "but to- 
morrow we fight the battle that will decide the fate of the Republic." 

Not long after the firing ceased, it sprang up again on the left. Gen- 
eral Hooker, who had taken up his headquarters in a barn, which had 
been nearly the focus of the rebel artillery, was out at once. First 
came rapid and unusually frequent i:)icket shots, then several heavy 
volleys. The General listened a moment and smiled grimly. " We 
have no troops there. The rebels are shooting each other. It is Fair 
Oaks over again." So everybody lay down again, but all the night 
through there were frequent alarms. 

McClellau had been informed of the night's work, and of the cer- 
tainties awaiting the dawn. Sumner was ordered to move his corps 
at once, and was expected to be on the ground at daylight. From 
the extent of the rebel lines developed in the evening, it was plain 
that they had gathered their whole army behind the heights and were 
waiting for the shock. 

The battle began with the dawn. Morning found both armies just 
as they had slept, almost close enough to look into each other's eyes. 
The left of Meade's reserves and the right of Ricketts' line became 
engaged at nearly the same moment, one with artillery, the other with 



858 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

infantry, A battery was almost immecl'nitcly pushed forward beyond 
the central woods, over a plowed Held, near the top of the slope 
■where the cornfield began. On this open field, in the corn beyond, 
and in the woods which stretched forward into the broad fields, like 
a iJromontory into the ocean, were the hardest and deadliest strug- 
gles of tlie diu'. 

For half an hour after the battle had grown to its full strcngtii, the 
line of fire swayed neither way. Hooker's men were fully up to vheir 
work. They saw their General everywhere in front, never away from 
the fire, and all the troops believed in their commander, and fought 
with a will. Two-thirds of them were the same men who, under Mc- 
Dowell, had broken at Manassas. 

The half hour passed; the rebels began to give way a little, only a 
little, but at the first indication of a receding fire. Forward ! was the 
word, and on went the line with a cheer and a rush. Buck across the 
cornfield, leaving dead and wounded behind them, over the fence and 
across the road, and then back again into the dark woods which 
closed around them, went the retreating rebels, 

Meade and his Pennsylvanians followed hard and fast — followed 
till they came within easy range of the woods, among which they saw 
their beaten enemy disappearing — followed still, with another cheer, 
and flung themselves against the cover. 

But out of those gloomy woods came suddenly and heavily terrible 
volleys— volleys which smote, and bent, and broke in a moment that 
eager front, and hurled tliern swiftly back for half the distance they 
had won. Not swiftly, nor in panic, any farther. Closing up their 
shattered lines, they came slowly away — a regiment where a brigade 
had been, hardly a brigade where a whole division had been, victori- 
ous. They had met from the woods the first volleys of musketry from 
fresh troops — had met them and returned them till their line had 
yielded and gone down before the weight of fire, and till their ammu- 
ditiou was exhausted. 

In ten minutes the fortune of the day seemed to have changed — it 
•was the rebels now who were advancing, pouring out of the woods in 
endless lines, sweeping through the cornfield from which their com- 
rades had just fled. Hooker sent in his nearest brigade to meet them, 
but it could not do the work. He called for another. There was 
nothing close enough, unless he took it from his right. His right 
might be in danger if it was weakened, but his centre was already 
threatened with annihilation. Not hesitating one moment, he sent 
to Doubleday : " Give me your best brigade instantly." 

The best brigade came down the hill to the right on the run, went 
through the timber in front through a storm of shot and burstins: 



OF THE WAR. 359 

eliell and crashing limbs, over the ojicu field beyond, and straight into 
the cornfield, passing as they went the fragments of three brigades 
shattered by the rebel fire, and streaming to the rear. They passed 
by Hooker, whose eyes lighted as he saw these veteran troops led by 
a soldier whom he knew he could trust. " I think, they will hold it," 
be said. 

General Ilartsuff took his troops very steadily, but now that they 
were under fire, not hurriedly, up the hill from which the cornfield 
begins to descend, and formed them on the crest. Not u man who 
was not in full view — not one who bent before the storm. Firing at 
first in volleys, they fired them at will with wonderful rapidity and 
effect. The whole line crowned the hill and stood out darkly against 
the sky, but lighted and shrouded ever in flame and smoke. There 
were the Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, and another regiment 
whicli I cannot remember — old troops all of them. 

There f«-r half an hour they held the ridge unyielding in purpose, 
exhausUess in courage. There were gaps in the line, but it nowhere 
quailed. Their General was wounded badly early in the fight, but 
they fought on. Their supports did not come — they determined to 
•win without them. They began to go down the hill and into the 
corn ; they did not stop to think that their ammunition was nearly 
gone; they were there to win that field, and tliey won it. The rebel 
line for the second time fled through the corn and into the woods. I 
cannot tell how few of IIartsufi"'s brigade were left when the work 
was done; but it was done. There was no more gallant, determined, 
heroic fighting in all this desperate day. General Hartsuff is very 
Bcverely wounded, but I do not believe he counts his success too dearly 
purchased. 

The crisis of the fight at this point had arrived ; Ricketts' division, 
vainly endeavoring to advance, and exhausted by the elfort, had fallen 
back. Part of Mansfield's corps was ordered to their relief, but 
Mansfield's troops came back again, and their Genera'l was mortally 
wounded. The left nevertheless was too extended to be turned, and 
too strong to be broken. Ricketts sent word he could not advance, 
but could hold his ground. Doubleday had kept his guns at work 
on the right, and had finally silenced a rebel battery that for half an 
hour had poured in a galling enfilading Are along Hooker's central 
line. 

There were woods in front of Doublcday's hill which the rebels 
held, but so long as those guns pointed that way they <lid not care to 
attack. With his left then able to take care of itself, with his right 
impregnable, with two brigades of Mansfield still fresh and coming 
rapidly up, and with his centre a second time victorious. General 



360 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Hooker determined to advance. Orders were sent to Crawford and 
Gordon— the two Mansfield brigades— to move directly forward at 
once, the batteries in the centre were ordered on, the whole line was 
called on, and the General himself went forward. 

To the right of the corn-field and beyond it was a i)oint of woods. 
Once carried and firmly held, it was the key of the position. Hooker 
determined to take it. He rode out in front of his furthest troops on 
a hill to examine the ground for a battery. At the top he dismounted 
and went forward on foot, com jjleted his reconnoissance, returned and 
remounted. The musketry fire from the point of woods was all the 
while extremely hot. As he put his foot in the stirrup a fresh volley 
of rifle bullets came whizzing b3\ The tall soldierly figure of the 
General, the white horse which he rode, the elevated place where he 
Avas— all made liim a most dangerously conspicuous mark. So he 
had been all day, riding often without a staff" officer or an orderly 
near him — all sent oft' on urgent duty— visible every where on the field. 
The rebel bullets had followed him all day, but they had not hit him, 
and he would not regard them. Remounting on this hill he had not 
ridden five steps when he was struck in the foot by a ball. 

Three men were shot down at the same moment by his side. The 
air was alive with bullets. He kept on his horse for a few moments, 
though the Avound was severe and excessively paiaful, and would not 
dismount till he had given his last order to advance. He was himself 
in the very front. Swaying unsteadily on his horse, he turned in his 
seat to look about him. "There is a regiment to the right. Order 
it forward ! Crawford and Gordon are coming up. Tell them to 
carry these woods and hold them — and it is our fight ! " 

It was found that the bullet had passed completely through his foot. 
The surgeon who examined it on the spot could give no opinion 
whether bones were broken, but it was afterwards ascertained that 
though grazed they were not fractured. Of course the severity of the 
wound made it impossible for him to keep the field which he believed 
already won, so far as it belonged to him to win it. It was nine 
o'clock. The fight had been furious since five. A large part of his 
command was broken, but with his right still untonclied, and with 
Crawford's and Gordon's brigades just up, above all, with the advance 
of the whole central line which the men had heard ordered with 
cheers, with a regiment already on the edge of the woods he wanted, 
he might well leave the field, thinking the battle was won — that his 
battle was won, for I am writing, of course, only about the attack on 
the rebel left. 

I Lce no reason why I shold disguise my admiration of General 
Hooker's bravery and soldiei'ly ability. Remaining nearly all the 



OF THE WAR. 361 

monnng on tlic right, I could not he! j? seeing tlie sagacity and prompt- 
ness of liis manoeuvres, how completely his troops were kept in hiind, 
Iiow devotedly they trusted to him, how keen was his insight into the 
battle; how every opportunity was seized, and every reverse was 
checked and turned into another success. I say this the more unre- 
servedly, because I have no personal relaticm whatever with him, 
never saw him till the day before the fight, and ■don"'t like his politics 
or opinions in general. But wliat are polities in suck a battle ? 

Sumner arrived just as Hooker was leaving, and assumed command, 
Crawford and Gordon had gone into the w<K)ds, and were holding 
them stoutJy {igainst heavy odds. As I rode over toward the left I 
met Sumner at the head of his column advancing rapidly through the 
timber, oj^posite the point where Crawford was fighting. The veteraa 
General was riding alone in the forest, far ahead of liis leading brigade. 
Lis liat off, liis gray hair and beard and mustache strangely contrast- 
ing with tlie fire in his eyes and his martial air, as he hurried on ttt 
where the Ijullets were thickest 

Sedgwick"'s division was in advance, moving forward to sui^port 
Crawford and Gordon, Rebel re-enforcements were approaching also, 
and the struggle for the roads was again to be renewed. Sumner 
sent forward two <Uvisions, Richardson and French on the left 
Sedgwick moving in column of divisions through tlie woods in rear, 
deployed ajjd advanced iu line over the eorn-fiekL There was a broad 
interval ixjtwcen him and the nearest division., and he saAv that if the 
rebel line were complete his own division was in immediate danger 
of being fluukccL But his orders were to advance, and those are the 
orders which a soldier — and Sedgwick is every inch a soldier — loves 
best to hear. 

To extend his own front as far as possible, he ordered the Thirty- 
fourth New York to move by the left flank. The manojuvre was at- 
tempted under a fir«of the greatest intensity, and the rdgiment broke. 
At the same moment the enenij', perceiving their advantage, came 
round on that flank. Crawford was obliged to give on the right, and 
Lis troojjs, pouring in confusion through the ranks of Sedgwick's ad- 
vance brigade^ threw it into disorder and back on the second and 
third lines. The enemy advanced, their tire increasing. 

General Sedgwick was three times wounded — in the shoulder, leg 
and wrist — but he persisted in remaining on the field so long as there 
was a chance of saving it. His Adjutant-General, Major Sedgwick, 
bravely rallying and trying to reform the troo2JS, was shot through 
the botly, llie buHet lodging in the sj^ine, and fell from his horse. 
Severe as the wound is, it is probably not mortal. Lieutenant Howe, 
of General Sedgwick's EtaCT, endeavored vainly to rally the Thirtj- 

4S 2f 



362 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

fourth New York. They were badly cut up, and Avoutd not stancl. 
Half their officers were killed or wounded, their colors shot to pieces, 
the Color-Sergeant killed, every one of the color-guard wounded. 
Only thirty-two were afterward got together. 

The Fifteenth Hassaehusctts went into action with seventeen of5- 
ccrs and nearly six hundred men. Nine officers were killed or 
wounded, and some of the latter are prisoners. Captain Simons, Cai> 
tain Saunders of the sharp-shooters, Lieutenant I)erl)y, and Lieuten- 
ant Berry are killed. Captain Bartlett, Captain Jocelyn, Lieutenant 
Spurr, Lieutenant Gale and Lieutenant Bradley are wounded. One 
hundred and thirty-four men were the only remnant that could be 
collected of this splendid regiment. 

General Dana was wounded. General Howard, who took command 
of the division after General Sedgwick was disabled, exerted himself 
to restore order; but it could not be done there. General Sumner 
ordered the line to be refoi-med under fire. The test was too severe 
for volunteer troojjs under such a fire. Sumner himself attempted to 
arrest the disorder, but to little 2)urix)se. Lieutenant-Colonel Revere 
and Captain Audenried of his staff were wountled severely, but not 
dangerously. It was impossible to hold the position. General Sum- 
ner withdrew the division to the rear, and once more the cornfield 
was abaiidonetl to the enemy. 

French sent word he could hold his gi-ound. Eichardson, while 
gallantly leading a regiment under a heavy fire, was severely wounded 
in the shoulder. General Meagher was wounded at the head of his 
brigade. The loss in general officers was becoming frightful. 

At one o'clock affairs on the right had a gloomy look. Hooker's 
troops were greatly exhausted, and their General away from the field. 
Mansfield's were no better. Sumner's command had lost heavily, but 
two of his divisions were still comparatively fresh. Artillery was yet 
playing vigorously in front, though the ammunition of many of tho 
batteries was entirely exhausted, and they had been compelled to 
retire. 

Doublcday held the right inflexibly. Sumner's headquarters were 
now in the narrow field where, the night before, Hooker had begun 
the fight. All that had been gained in front had been lost ! The 
enemy's batteries, which if advanced and served vigoi-ously might 
have niadw sad work with the closely-massed troops, were fortunately 
either partially disabled or short of ammuuitiun. Sumner was confix 
dent that he could hold his own ; but another advance was out of the 
question. The enemy, on the other hand, seemed to be too much ex- 
hausted to attack. 

At this crisis FraukUa came up with fresh troops and formed oa 



OF THE WAR. 363 

tbe left. Slocum, commanding one division of the corps, Avas sent 
forward along the slopes lying under the first ranges of rebel hills, 
while Smith, commanding the other division, was ordered to retake 
the cornilelds and woods which all day had been so hotly contested. 
It was done in the handsomest style. His Maine and Vermont regi- 
ments and the rest went forward on the run, and. cheering as they 
went, SAvcpt like an avalanche through the cornfields, fell upon the 
woods, cleared them in ten minutes, and lield them. They were not 
again retaken. 

The field and that ghastly harvest which the reaper liad gathered 
in those fatal hours remained finally with us. Four times it had been 
lost and won. The dead are strev>'n so thickly that as you ride over 
it you cannot guide your horse's steps too carefully. Pale and bloody 
faces are everywhere upturned. They are sad and terrible, but there 
is nothing Avhich makes one's heart beat so quickly as the imploring 
look of sorely wounded men who beckon wearily for helo which you 
cannot stay to give. 

General Smith's attack was so sudden that his success Avas accom- 
plished Avitli no great loss. He had gained a point, hoAvever, Avhich 
compelled him to expect every moment an attack, and to hold which, 
if the enemy again brought up reserves. Avould take his best enei-gies 
and best troops. But the long strife, the heavy losses, incessant fight- 
ing over the same ground rejjeatedly lost and Avon inch by inch, and 
more than all, perhaps, the fear of Burnsidc on the left and Porter in 
front, held the enemy in check. For two or three hours there Avas a 
lull even in the cannonade on the right Avhich hitherto had been h\- 
cessant. McClellan had been over on the field after Sumner's repulse, 
but had speedily returned to his headquarters. Sumner again sent 
Avord that he Avas able to hold his position, but could not advance 
with his OAvn corps. 

Meantime Avhcre Avas Burnside, and Avhat avus he doing? On the 
right, Avhere I had si)ent the day until two o'clock, little Avas knoAvn 
of the general fortunes of the field. "We had heard Porter's guns in 
the centre, but nothing from Burnside on the left. The distance Avas 
too great to distinguish the sound of his artillery from Porter's left. 
There Avas no immediate prospect of more fighting on the right, and 
I left the field which all day long had seen the most obstinate contest 
of the Avar, and rode over to McClellan's headquarters. The diff"erent 
battle-fields Avere shut out from each other's view, but all partially 
visible from the central hill Avhich General McClellan had occupied 
during the day. But I Avas more than ever impressed, on returning, 
with the completely deceitful appearance of the ground the rebels had 
choseu Avhea viewed from the front. 



364 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Hooker's and Sumner's struggle had been carried on over an un- 
even and wooded surface, tlieir own line of battle extending in s^ 
semi-circle not lees tlian a mUc and a half. Perhaps a better notion 
of their jiosition can be got by considering their right, centre and 
left as forming three sides of a square. So long, therefore, as either 
wing was driven back, the centre became exposed to a very danger- 
ous enfilading fire, the further the centre was advanced the worse oflf 
it was, unless the lines on its sides and rear Avere firmly held. This 
formation resulted originally from tht cflorts of the euemy to turn 
both flanks. Hooker, at the very outset, threw his column so far into 
the centre of the rebel lines that they wore compelled to threaten hiin 
on the flank to secure their own centre. 

Nothing of all this was perceptible from the hills in front. Some 
directions of the rebel lines had been disclosed by the smoke of their 
guns, but the whole interior formation of the country beyond the hills 
was completely concealed. When McClellan arranged his order of 
battle it must have been upon information, or have been left to his 
corps and division commanders to discover for themselves. 

Up to three o'clock Burnside had made little progress. His attack 
on the bridge had been successful, but the delay had been so great 
that to the observer it appeared as if McClellan's plans must have been 
seriously disarranged. It is impossible not to suppose that the at- 
tacks on right and left were meant in a measure to correspond, for 
otherwise tlie enemy had only to repel Hooker on the one hand, then 
transfer his troops and hurl them against Burnside. 

Here was the difference between Smith and Burnside. The former 
did his work at once, and lost all his men at once — that is, all whom 
he lost at all. Burnside seems to have attacked cautiously in order 
to save his men, and sending successively insufficient forces against a 
position of strength, distributed his loss over a greater period of time, 
but yet lost none the less in the end. 

Finally, at four o'clock, McClellan sent simultaneous orders to 
Burnside and Franklin; to the former to advance and carry the bat- 
teries in his front at all hazards and any cost ; to the latter to carry 
the Avoods next in front of him to the right, which the rebels still 
held. The order to Franklin, however, • was ijractically counter- 
manded, in consequence of a message from General Sumner that if 
Franklin went on and was repulsed, his own corps was not yet suffi- 
ciently reorganized to be depended on as a reserve. 

Franklin, thereupon, was directed to run no lisk of losing his pres- 
ent position, and, instead of sending his infantry into tlie woods, con- 
tented himself with advancing his batteries over the breadth of the 
fields in front, supporting them with heavy columns of infantry, and 



OF THE WAR. 365 

attacliing with energy the rebel batteries iinraediately opposed to 
him. Ilis movement was a success, so far as it went, the batteries 
maintaining their new ground, and sensibly affecting the steadiness 
of the rebel fire. That being once accomplished, and all hazard of 
the right being again forced back having been dispelled, tlie move- 
ment of Burnside became at once the turning point of success, and 
the fate of the day depended on him. 

How extraordinary the situation was may be judged from a mo- 
ment's consideration of the facts. It is understood that from the out- 
set Burnside's attack was expected to be decisive, as it certainly must 
have been if things went well elsewhere, and if he succeeded in estab- 
lishing himself on the Sharpsburg road in the rebel rear. 

Yet Hooker, and Sumner, and Franklin, and Mansfield were all 
sent to the right three miles away, while Porter seems to have done 
double duty with his single corps in front, both supporting the bat- 
teries and holding himself in reserve. With all this immense force 
on the right, but sixteen thousand men were given to Burnside for the 
decisive movement of the day. 

Still more unfortunate in its results was the total failure of these 
separate attacks on the right and left to sustain, or in any manner co- 
operate with each other. Burnside hesitated for hours in front of the 
bridge, which should have been carried at once by a coup de main. 
Meantime Hooker had been fighting for four hours with various for- 
tune, but final success. Sumner had come up too late to join in the 
decisive attack Avhich his earlier arrival would probably have con- 
verted into a complete success ; and Franklin reached the scene only 
when Sumner had been rei)ulsed. Probably before his arrival the 
rebels had transferred a considerable number of troops to their right 
to meet the attack of Burnside, the direction of which Mas then sus- 
pected or developed. 

Attacking first with one regiment, then with two, and delaying 
both for artillery, Burnside was not over the bridge before two o'clock 
— perhaps not till three. He advanced slowly up the slopes in his 
front, his batteries in rear covering, to some extent, the movements 
of the infantry. A desperate fight was going on in a deep ravine on 
his right, the rebel batteries were in full play, and, apparently, very 
annoying and very destructive, while heavy columns of rebel troops 
were plainly visible, advancing as if careless of concealment, along 
the road and over the hills in the direction of Burnside's forces. It 
was at this jjoint of time that McClellan sent h'lm the order above 
given. 

Burnside obeyed it most gallantl}'. Getting his troops well in hand, 
and sending a portion of his artillery to the front, he advanced them 

2r2 



S66 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

with rapiditj' and the most determined vigor straight up the hill in 
front, on top of which the rebels had maintained tlieir most danger- 
ous battery. The movement was in i)lain view of McCIellan's posi- 
tion, and as Franklin, on the other side, sent liis batteries into the 
field aljoiit the same time, the battle seemed to ojjcn in all directions 
vith greater activity than ever. 

Tiie fight in the ravine was in full progress, the batteries which 
Porter supported was firing with new vigor, Franklin was blazing 
away on the right, and every hill-top, ridge and woods along the 
whole line was crested and vailed with Avhite clouds of smoke. All 
day had been clear and bright since the early cloudy morning, and 
now this Avholo magnificent, unequaled scene shone with the splendor 
of an afternoon September sun. Four miles of battle, its glory all 
visible, its liorrors all vailed, tiie fate of ti.e Ilcpublic hanging ou tlio 
hour— could any one be insensible to its grandeur. 

There are two hills on the left of the road, the furthest the lowest. 
The rebels have batteries on both. Buruside is ordered lo carry the 
nearest to him, which is the furthest from the road. His guns open- 
ing first from this new position in front, soon entirely controlled and 
silenced the enemy's artillery. The infantry came on at once, moving 
rapidly and steadily up, long, dark lines, and broad, dark masses, 
being plainly visible without a glass, as they moved over the green 
bill-side. 

The next moment the road in which the rebel battery was planted 
was canopied with clouds of dust swiftly descending into the valley. 
Underneath was a tumult of wagons, guns, horses and men flying at 
speed down the road. B'ue flashes of smoke burst now and then 
among them, a horse or a man or half dozen went down, and then 
the whirlwind swept on. 

The hill was carried, but could it be held? The rebel columns, 
before seen moving to the left, increased their pace. The guns, on 
the hill above, sent an angry tempest of shell down among Burnside'a 
guns and men. He had formed his columns, a])parently, in the near 
angles of two fields bordering the road — high ground about them, 
every where except in rear. 

In another moment a rebel battle-line appears on the brow of tho 
ridge above them, moves swiftly down in the most perfect order, and 
though met by incessant discharges of musketry, of which we i)lainly 
see the flashes, does not fire a gun. White spaces show where men 
are falling, but they close up instantly, and still the line advances. 
The brigades of Burnside are in heavy column ; they will not give 
way before a bayonet charge in line. The rebels think twice before 
tliey dash into these hostile masses. 



OF THE WAR-.. 367 

There is a halt, the rcbt-l left pivrs way a'nd scatters over the field, 
the rest stand fast ami fire. More infantry comes up. Burnsidc ia 
outnumbered ; flanked, com2)elled to yield the hill ho took so bravely. 
His position is no longer one of attack ; he defends Irnisclf with un- 
faltering firmness, but he sends to j\IcClcllan for heli). IMcClellan's 
glass for the last half liour has seldom been turned away from the 
left. 

He sees clearly enough that Burnsidc is pressed— needs no messen- 
ger to tell him that. His face grows darker with an.\ious thought. 
Looking down into the valley where fifteen thousand troops are lying, 
he turns a half-questioning look on Fitz John Porter, who stands by 
Lis side, gravely scanning the field. They are Porter's troops below, 
are fresh and only impatient to share in this fight. But Porter slowly 
shakes his head, and one may believe that the same thought is passing 
through the minds of both Generals : " They arc the only reserves of 
the army; they can not be spared." 

McClellan remounts his horse, and with Porter and a dozen officers 
of his staff rides away to the left in Burnside's direction. Sykes 
meets them on the road — a good soldier, whose opinion is worth 
taking. The three Generals talk briefly together. It is easy to seo 
that the moment has come Avhen every thing may turn on one order 
given or withheld, when the history of the battle is only to be written 
in thoughts and purposes and words of the General. 

Burnside's messenger rides up. His message is: "I want troops 
and guns. If you do not send them I can not hold my position for 
half an hour." McClellan's only answer for the moment is a glance 
at the western sky. Then he turns and speaks very slowly : "Tell 
General Burnsidc that this is the battle of the war. He must hold 
his ground till dark at any cost. I will send him Miller's battery, I 
can do nothing more. I have no infantry." Then, as the messenger 
was riding away he called him back. " Tell hiui if he can not hold 
liis ground, then the bridge, to the last man ! always the bridge I If 
the bridge is lost, all is lost." 

The sun is already down ; not an half-hour of daylight is left. Till 
Burnside's message came it had seemed plain to every one that the 
battle could not be finished to day. None suspected how near was 
the peril of defeat, of sudden attack on exhausted forces— how vital 
to the safety of the army and the nation were those fifteen thousand 
waiting troops of Fitz John Porter in the hollow. But the rebels 
halted instead of pushing on, their vindictive cannonade died away 
as the light faded. Before it was quite dark the battle was over. 
Only a solitary gun of Burnside's thundered against the enemy, and 
presently this also ceased, and the field was still. 



-368 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The conflict was not renewed by McClellan on tlie 18th. 
The General in his report gives various reasons for the fail- 
ure to press his advantage on the rebel right and left. His 
men had done a good thing, and he seemed content to let 
them rest for a day. Of course they needed rest, but not 
more than the enem.y — they needed rations, but so did the 
enemy — they needed re-enforcements, and the enemy, by 
waiting a day, received them; so it would appear that Mc- 
Clellan made nothing, but lost much, by his day's delay. 
The Confederates construed the failure to fight on Thursday 
as an evidence that the Federals were whipped. Lee seized 
the moment to recuperate for a night's flight. On Thursday 
afternoon, finding no prospect of battle, he commenced to 
"retire" into Virginia, crossing by Williamsport and Har- 
per's Ferry. Friday morning McClellan learned of the re- 
treat and ordered pursuit ; but, as after the battle of Sharps- 
burg, so slow a pursuit as to give the enemy no trouble. 
Fitz John Porter's fresh corps alone "hurried on," but did 
not cross the Potomac until the night of Saturday the 19th, 
when the enemy had so fully effected their escape as to ren- 
der pursuit, by a single corps, a mere waste of time. On 
the 22d, Sumner's corps took possession of Uarper's Ferry. 
Lee did not move off in a hurrj^, but hung around Winches- 
ter and Martinsburg at his pleasure, demonstrating with in- 
fantry and cavalr_y in various directions. On the 10th of 
October — three weeks after his retreat from Antietam — Stu- 
art made a powerful raid into Pennsylvania, passing through 
Mercersburg, Chambersburg, Emmittsburg, Liberty, New 
Market, Eyattstown and Barnesville, returning in safety to 
Winchester, then Lee's headquarters. His destruction of 
property was very heavy. Chambersburg was almost ruined 
bv the incendiary torch. September 19th McClellan tele- 
graphed : 

"I have the honor to report that Maryland is entirely freed from 
the presence of the enemy, who has been driven across the Potomac 
No fears need now be entertained for Pennsylvania. I shall at once 
occupy Harper's Ferry." 



OF THE WAR. S69 

He occupied Ilai^ier's Ferry "at once" on tiie 22J, Jeb 
Stuart destroyed Chambersburg, Pa., on the 11th of Octo- 
ber ; and Lee, " driven across the Potomac " on the 19th, re- 
mained in force at Winchester — until he got ready to leave ; 
the bulk of McClellan's force remained on the north side of 
the Potomac. He was importuned, ordered, imperatively 
commanded, to advance ; but one day his men wanted shoes, 
another day breeches, another day somebody wanted a 
hor.se; then the rebels were dangerously demonstrating for 
another advance higher up ; and so the record ran. It was 
not until in November that the General got his army to mov- 
ing again — but so slowly did he move, and so indifferent did 
he seem to every opportunity for dash and success, that the 
President confessed his faith in the man utterly gone. There- 
fore McClellan was relieved of his command November 7th, 
and retired from the service, for he never again was called to 
the field, notwithstanding the tremendous pressure upon 
the President, brought to bear after Burnside's and Hooker's 
reverses, to return the old commander to his lost station. It 
was singular that McClellan left his army disposed nearly as 
Pope's army was found by Jackson — onl}^ McClellan, having 
about four times more men than Pope, could occupy more 
points than his unfortunate predecessor on the line of the 
Rappahannock. 



47 



XXXVI. 

THE NEW DISPENSATION. 

It ^va.s a painful _yct sublime spectacle to witness tlie thioes 
in which slavery was gradually undergoing its dissolution. 
During those d.-iys when the Federal cause seemed darkest, 
the cause of Freedom and Emancipation progressed in pro- 
porlion as the fortunes of war seemed unpropiiious. Every 
triumph of rebel arms gave new stability to the cause of the 
slave, and strengthened the President's purpose to shiver the 
"cornerstone" of the Southern temple of which Jefferson 
Davis and Alexander II. Stevens were high priests. True, 
the President had reprimanded, those of his Generals in the 
field w::o proclaimed freedom to the slave as a ^Yar measure; 
for, as stated in his repudiation of General Hunter's Procla- 
mation of Freedom to the slaves m South Carolina, Georgia 
and Florida, the Executive alone reserved the right of such 
decrees, lie exercised it only when the public mind was 
prepared for it — when, through reverses, the most "conserv- 
ative" were made to see the necessity of wounding the Coa- 
federncy in its vital point by decreeing the death of slavery. 
On the 22d of September, A. D. 1862, the country was 
startled b\^ the publication of the following preparatory de- 
cree of emancipation : 

A PROCLAMATION 

UY THE TKESIDENT OP THE UNITED STATES. 

I, Abkaham Lincoln, President of the Uuitcd States of America, 
and ConiniaiKlerin-Cliief of the Army and Navy thereof, do hereby 
PROCLAIM and DECLARE that hereafter, as lieretoforc, the war 
will Ijc ijrosecdted for the object of jM-actically restoring the Constitu- 
tional relation between the United States and the people theieof, in 
which States that relation is, or may be, suspended or disturbed ; that 
it is my purpose upon the next meeting of Congress, to again recom- 
mend the adoption of a practical measure tendering pecuniary aid to 



OP THE WAR. 371 

the free acceptance or rejection of all the Slave States so called, the 
people whereof may not then be in rebellion against the United States, 
and which States may then have voluntarily adopted or thereafter 
may voluntarily adopt the immediate or gradual abolishment of 
Slavery within their respective limits ; and that the effort to colonize 
persons of African descent with their consent upon this continent or 
elsewhere with the previously obtained consent of the Governments 
existing there, will be continued ; that on the first day of January, in 
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all 
perscms held as slaves within any State, or any designated part of a 
State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United 
States, shall be thenceforward and forever free, and the Executive 
Government of the United States, including the military and naval 
authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such 
persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of 
them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom ; that the 
Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, 
designate the States and parts of States, if any, in -which the people 
thereof respectively shall then be in rebellion against the United 
States, and the fact that any State, and the people thereof shall on 
that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United 
States by memljers chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of 
the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the 
absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive 
evidence that such State and the people thereof have not been in re- 
bellion against the United States. 

That attention is hereby called to an act of Congress entitled " An 
act to make an additional article of war," approved March 13, 1862, 
and which act is in the words and figures following : 

Be il enacted by the Striate and House of Representatives of the United States of 
America in Congress assembled: That hereafter the following shall be promulgated 
as an additional article of war, for the government of the army of the United 
States, and shall be obeyed and observed as such : 

Article. All officers or persons in the military or naval service of the United 
States are prohibited from employing any of the forces under their respective 
commands for the purpose of returning fugitives from service or labor, who may 
have escaped from any persons to whom such labor is claimed to be due, and 
any ofScer who shall be found guilty by a court-martial of violating this articla 
shall be dismissed from the service. 

Sec. 2. And be itfurther enacted, That this act shall take effect from and after 
its passage. 

Also, to the ninth and tenth sections of an act entitled "An act to 
suppress insurrection, to jjunish treason and rebellion, to seize and 
confiscate the property of rebels, and for other purposes," approved 



S72 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

July 17, 1862, and wliicli sections are in the words and figures fol- 
lowing: 

Sec. 9. And he it further enacted , Tliat all slaves of persons who shall hereafter 
be engaged in rebellion against the Government of the United States, or v.'ho 
shall in any way give aid or comfort thereto, escaping from such persons and 
taking refuge within the lines of the army; and all slaves captured from such 
persons or deserted by them and coming under the control of the Government 
of the United States ; and all slaves of such persons found on (or being within) 
any place occupied by rebel forces and afterward occupied by the forces of the 
United States, shall be deemed captures of war, and shall be forever free of 
their servitude and not again held as slaves. 

Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, Tliat no slave escaping into any State, Ter- 
ritory, or the District of Columbia, from any of the States shall be delivered up, 
or in any way impeded or hindered of his liberty, except for crime or some of- 
fense against the laws, unless the person claiming said fugitive shall first make 
oath that the person to whom the labor or service of such fugitive is alleged to 
be due, is his lawful owner, and has not been in arms against the United States 
in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid" and comfort thereto : and no 
person engaged in the military or naval service of the United States shall, under 
any pretense whatever, assume to decide on the validity of the claim of any per- 
son to the seivice or labor of any other person, or surrender up any such person 
to the claimant, on pain of being dismissed from the service. 

And I do hereby enjoin upon and order all persons engaged in the 
military and naval service of the United States to observe, obey and 
enforce, within their respective spheres of service, the act and sec- 
tions above recited. 

And the Executive will in due time recommend that all citizens of 
the United States who shall have remained loyal thereto throughout 
the rebellion, shall (upon the restoration of the constitutional relation 
between the United States and their respectivo States and people, if 
the relation shall have been suspended or disturbed) be compensated 
for all losses by acts of the United States, including the loss of slaves. 

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the 
seal of the United States to be affixed.- 

Done at the city of Washington this twenty-second day of Septem- 
ber, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty- 
two, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-seventh. 

By the President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 

WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. 

now it was received it needs no prophet to tell. In the 
South it elicited a volume of execration acd scorn which in- 
dicated how deeply the stroke had wounded their cause In 
the North it was received, in all loyal quarters, with an en- 
thusiasm as unbounded as it was significant ofthe public 



OF THE WAR. 373 

will. In disloyal quarters of course there were misgivings, 
and all kinds of hair-splitting logic of the Calhoun sort to 
prove the decree "unconstitutional." Everything was un- 
constitutional with that class which struck down treason and 
exalted the cause of the Free States. But what were their 
^'■quid cUts''' and qualms to the great loyal heart of the peo- 
ple, surging and throbbing to the President's call ? Noihihg! 
The keynote of Freedom at last — and oh ! how long had it 
been prayed for! — was struck, and the response was jubilant 
enough to startle the world. It gave the death-blow to all 
hopes of European intervention in behalf of the South ; for 
what monarch or despot was brazen enough to aid a cause 
thereafter defined as thecause of Iluman Chattel servitude ? 
That was the chief reason why the South so raved. :..iu 
gnashed its teeth — so reviled Abraham Lincoln and anathe- 
matized his act. All hope of foreign intervention gone, the 
South must depend alone upon its own resources to legiti- 
mize its bastard government. How long it would struggle 
against the exhaustless resources of the North remained to 
be determined ; but, that the rebel Government was doomed, 
every intelligent, reflecting rebel then knew. 

Said a jubilant journal over the Proclamation : "It is the 
end of the rebellion — the beginning of the new life of the 
nation ; 

" ' God bless Abraham Lincoln ! ' " 
And the nation responded Amen and Amen ! 
On the 1st day of January, A. D. 1863, the President is- 
sued his final decree of emancipation, breaking forever the 
shackles of the bondman, and with them the political power 
and prestige of the South. As a slave-owning and slave- 
breeding section its rule in Congress was gone forever. The • 
words of this fiat were : 

" By virtue of the power and for tlie purpose aforesaid, I do order 
and declare tliat all persons held as slaves within said designated 
States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be free ; and 
that the Executive Government of the United States, including the 
military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain 
,tbe freedom of said persons. 

2g 



874 INCIDENTS ANL> ANECDOTES 

"And I hereby enjoin upon the pcoi^le so dedared to be free, to 
abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self defense, and I recom- 
mend to them, that in all cases, when allowed, .they labor faithfully 
for reasonable wages. 

"And I further declare and make known that such persons of suit- 
able condition will be received into the armed service of the United 
States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to 
man vessels of all sorts in said service. 

"And ujjon this, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, war- 
ranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the con- 
siderate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty 
God." 



XXXVII, 

THE SECOND REBEL INVASION. 

The experiment of invading the North did not prove so 
disastrous, in the first Maryland campaign, as to prevent its 
repetition in the following year. A powerful party existed 
in the South whose cry was : " invade the North — desolate 
it — live upon it — conquer a peace by tarrying upon its soil." 
The ease with which a rebel army could rush in upon Mary- 
land by way of the Shenandoah Valley, and could retire by 
the same route was, of itself, a strong inducement to the In- 
vasion. Could the Federal army be so crippled as to render 
it powerless to move out across the line of retreat, Lee could 
as safely fight in Pennsylvania as in Virginia, A decisive 
victory in Pennsylvania would lay Philadelphia, Baltimore 
and Washington at his feet — a consummation which must, 
it was thought in the South, result in favorable terms of 
peace and an acknowledgement of Southern Independence 
by foreign powers. . 

With this general programme for their summer's work, 
the Confederates, in the spring of 1863, pressed their utmost 
strength upon the Federal lines in front of Washington, 



OF THE WAR. 875 

where Iloolver was in command. After McClellan's suspen- 
sion, Nov. Ttli, Burnside assumed command of tlie Army of 
the Potomac. The rebels liad retired liesurely up the She- 
nandoah Valley upon McClellan's advance, and took their 
old station along the line of the Eappahannock. Thither 
Burnside moved, and finally crossed (Dec. 13th) below Fal- 
mouth, after a two days' bombardment of the enemy's posi- 
tion (Dec. 11th, 12th). The battle of Fredericksburg fol- 
lowed (Dec. 13th), in which the rebels held their fortified 
positions firmly against every effort made to take them. The 
Federals fought with a tenacity and courage truly sublime, 
but no power at Burnside's disposal seemed equal to the 
work in hand of capturing those defenses. He finally with- 
drew his entire army, on the night of Dec. 15th, to the north 
side of the river — thus virtually abandoning the fi^ld. 

Burnside was superseded by Hooker, January 25th, 1863. 
Considerable changes in corps commands also followed, for 
the jealousies and heart-burnings in the Army of the Poto- 
mac among division and corps commanders were enough, of 
themselves, to defeat every campaign. Fitz John Porter 
was dismissed the service, Jan. 20th, 1863, by sentence of 
court martial, for disobedience of orders which greatly con- 
tributed to Pope's defeat on the old Manassas battle-field. 
Sumner and Franklin, upon Hooker's appointment, were 
relieved of their corps commands. Hooker proceeded to re- 
organize the army, but never succeeded in obtaining the 
hearty concurrence and cheerful support of many of those 
under him. It seemed as if the army was to be cursed by 
the spirit of insubordination which had been infused in it by 
its first commander. The purpose of the malcontents appa- 
rently was io force the administration into placing McClellan 
again in chief command. 

Hooker held the line of the Rappahannock, north side, 
while Lee held the southern bank. Each watched the other 
with unceasing vigilance, and all through the months of 
February, March and April were recruiting their strength 
preparatory to a general battle. That event came off May 



876 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

2d and 3d; when Ilooker, having crossed the river above, 
marched down toward Fredericksburg, with the design of 
assailing that strongly fortified position in flank and rear. 
This the rebels resolved to thwart ; and moving against him 
struck the Federal lines at Chancellorsville. The battle 
which ensued May 2 was very bloody, and ended only by a 
tremendous night attack made by Hooker to restore his lines. 

The battle was renewed on the morning of the 3d with 
the utmost violence on the part of the enemy, whose efforts 
were directed to breaking Hooker's line. Every assault was 
repulsed, up to noon, when Sedgwick, having crossed below 
Fredericksburg, stormed and carried its strongest defense. 
This placed the rebel army between two fires; whereupon 
Lee concentrated his entire strength upon Hooker, and, after 
a most bloody struggle, succeeded in forcing him back a 
mile and a half and preventing Sedgwick from making a 
junction with the main army. This compelled Sedgwick to 
abandon his nobly-won conquest at Fredericksburg heights 
on the 4th, when he recrossed and rejoined Hooker by the 
fords above. On the 5th, Lee attacked Hooker with fresh 
forces and drove him back upon the river, which he re- 
crossed in safety, under cover of his artillery. 

This defeat again placed the Army of the Potomac on the 
defensive; and Lee prepared once more to try his foj-tunes 
in Maryland and Pennsylvania, but without his best Gene- 
ral — Stonwall Jackson — who was so severely woutided on 
the second day's battle that he died on the 10th. In him 
the Confederacy lost its best field officer. It was not until 
the early part of June that the enemy's advance north be- 
came apparent. On the 13th Hill's j^rand division, the rebel 
rear, moved out of the Fredericksburg defenses. The ad- 
vance then was closing around Winchester, while the Con- 
federate cavalry was over the Potomac. The battle of 
Wincliestt-r followed, on the 14ih, when Ewell's division 
assailed Milroy and ^IcEeynolds' commands. The assault 
was repulsed with great resolution; but the Federal army- 
was literally hemmed in on all sides by the vast masses of 



OF THE WAR. 377 

Lee's forces. General ^Tyler, in command as Martinsburg, 
fell back upon Harper's Ferry on the 14tb, and thus saved 
Lis command. Mih-oy, on the night of the l-ith, spiked his 
guns and cut his way through, with a loss of two thousand 
men, three full batteries, two hundred and eighty wagons, 
six thousand muskets, etc. Tyler evacuated Harper's Ferry 
on the night of the lOlh, taking position at Maiyland 
Heights. 

The enemy pushed on with all possible rapidity. On the 
15th their cavalry entered Chambersburg at nine P. M. At 
Hagerstown the command of Colonel Smith was surrounded 
on the same day and all taken prisoners. On the l()th a 
heavy body of relxjl cavalry puslied on toward Harrisbui^g, 
from Chambersburg: 

The excitement in the IvTorth consequent on this bold ad- 
vance was wide spread. Pennsylvania was in a blaze of 
military enthusiasm. The Governor, on the 15th of June, 
called out fifty thousand rniliti-a to repel the invasion. The 
New York organized militia prepared at once to take the 
field, and moved off, by regiments, rapidly, to the vicinity 
of Baltimore and Harrisburg — the two points most threat- 
ened. Hookers army moved north with. sf>eed, and at once 
took the fiekl in ^laryland. But, on the 27th, Hooker was 
relieved of the command,- and his old subordinate division 
General, Meade, placed over the army. The rebels then 
held Gettj^sburg, Chambersburg, Carlisle and Kingston. On 
the 28th they occupied York and Mechaniesburg. On the 
29th the rebel cavalry approached to within five miles of 
Baltimore. 

But the closing in of IMeade's divisions comj^elled the con- 
centi-ation of Lee^s army tovN'ard Gettj-sburg. Early's divis- 
ion, about twenty thousand strong, evacuated York on the 
SOth. Lee, wifeh Longstreet's, Hill's, Early's and Rhodes' 
divisions, moved upon Gettysburg, which Pleasantons Fed- 
eral cavalry had occupied on that day. Meade's disposition 
was such as to comi^el his adversary to concentrate at Get- 
tysburg; and, on the 1st of July, the two grand armies ioined 
48 2g2 



878 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

in a combat which was to determine the fate of the Republic. 
Of this great three-days' conflict we select the account pre- 
pared for the New York World, as one of the best written 
from the field, presenting many points of interest which a 
more studied or purely historic report would have rejected : 
General IMeade took command of this army on Saturday, the 28th 
ult. At that time his headquarters were at Frederick, and Lee's at 
Hagerstown. It will be seen that he was in the southwest, and con- 
sequently in the rear of the foe, imminently threatening liis line of 
retreat. The Army of the Potomac began its campaign from that 
moment. Orders were issued to the several corps to move early in 
the evening; and on the morning of the 29th our whole brilliant and 
hopeful host was in motion toward Pennsylvania. The 1st, 3d and 
11th Corps encamped on Tuesday at Emmettsburg ; the 2d and 12tb 
Corps also pitched their tents near by. The Gth Corps marched to 
Carlisle Wednesday morning, the first day of this month forever mem- 
orable. The 1st Corps, under Major-General Reynolds, and the 11th, 
under Major-General Howard, started for Gettysburg^ — Reynolds in 
command — where they arrived at ten o'clock a. m. The 1st Corps, in 
the advance, marched directly through the town. The enemy was 
discovered posted in a wood to the westward, near the Lutheran 
Theological Seminary. The beginning of the three-days' conflict was 
at hand. 

THE BATTLE OF WEDNESDAY. 

Rash as the advance of General Reynolds has been pronounced by 
many l)vother otRcers who now lament his death, I question whether 
it was not after all for the best. It served at once as a reconnoissance 
showing the enemy's exact position and jjrobable force, and a check 
upon any offensive movement Avhich that enemy might have been in- 
tent upon. It secured the Ai'my of the Potomac the commanding 
position on Cemetery hill, from which the battles of the two succeed- 
ing days were chiefly fought, and which, had the rebel commander 
anticipated the engagement, he would have doubtless secured for 
himself. Not less, perhaps, than the skill of the Generals who di- 
rected the battle on our side, gave us the victory. When, therefore, 
the heroic 1st Corps and its fated commander 2>laced themselves in 
the terrible dilemma of Wednesday morning, they won a knowledge 
by their sacrifice worth all the world to us thereafter. The corps 
marched in the following order : First division, under General Wads- 
worth ; Third division, under General Doubleday ; five full batteries, 
under Colonel Wainwright ; Fourth division, under General Rob- 
inson. 



OF THE WAR. 879 

A portion of our artillery took iDosition half a mile soutli of the 
seminary. The enemy opened fire upon it with such fierceness as 
forced the batteries to retire, -which they commenced doing in good 
order. General Wadsworth immediately came to their aid ; two of 
his regiments, the Second Wisconsin and the Twenty-fourth Michi- 
gan, charged the rebel infantry, forcing them in turn to retire. The 
batteries assumed an excellent position farther in the rear, which they 
held during the day. General Reynolds now rode forward to insi)ect 
tlie field and ascertain the most favorable lino for the disposal of his 
troops. One or two members of his staff were with him. The enemy 
at that instant poured in a cruel musketry fire upon the grouji of offi- 
cers ; a bullet struck General Reynolds in the neck, wounding him 
mortally. Crying out, with a voice that thrilled the hearts of his 
soldiers, " Forward ! for God's sake, forward ! " he turned for an in- 
stant, beheld the order obejed by a line of shouting infantry, and, 
falling into the arms of Cajjtain "Wilcox, his aid, who rode beside 
him, his life went out with the words, "Good God! Wilcox, I am 
killed." 

The command of the corps devolved upon General Doubleday, who 
hurried to the front, placed it in position, and awaited a charge w'hich 
it was seen the rebels were about to make. An eminence Avhereon 
stood a piece of woods was the important point thenceforth to be de- 
fended. The rebels advanced and opened fire from their entire line. 
They were instantly charged upon by Meredith's Western brigade, 
who, without firing a shot, but with a tremendous cheer, dashed for- 
ward with such swiftness as to surround nearly six hundred of the 
foe, who were taken prisoners. A strong column immediately ad- 
vanced against us from the woods, a^id, though volley after volley was 
poured into them, did not waver. Their proximity and strength at 
last became so threatening that the brigades of the Second division 
were ordered to make another charge, which was even more success- 
ful that the first. Their momentum was like an avalanche ; the rebels 
were shot, liayoneted, and driven to i:)artial retreat — more than two 
regiments falling into our hands alive. Our ranks suffered fearfully 
inthis demonstration, and it was evident that such fighting could 
not long go on. The 11th Corps now made its appearance, and its 
General (Howard) assumed command of the forces. Stcinwehr was 
ordered to hold Gettysburg and Cemetery hill — all his artillery being 
placed in the latter position. The other two divisions of the 11th 
Corps, under Shultz and Barlow, then supported the 1st Corps, on 
the right, in time to resist two desjjerate charges by Ewell's troops, 
A third charge was now made by the entire rebel force in front, which 
comprised the corps of Hill and Ewell, sixty-two thousand strong. 
26 



380 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

The sbock was awful. The superior numbers of the foe enabled them 
to overlap both of our flanks, threatening us with surrounding and 
capture. Their main effort was directed against our left wing, and 
notwithstanding the gallant fighting done by our soldiers at that 
point, they at last obtained such advantage that General Howard was 
forced to retire his command through the town to the east, which was 
done in good order, the compliments of the rebels meanwhile falling 
thick among it, in the shape of shells, grape and canister. The two 
corps were placed in line of battle on Cemetery hill at evening, hav- 
ing withstood during the entire day the assaults of an enemy out- 
numbering them three to one. Not without grief, not without 
misgiving, did the officers and soldiers of those corps contemplate 
the day's engagement and await the onset they believed was to come. 
Their comrades lay in henps beyond the village whose spires gleamed 
peacefully in the sunset bcrore-thcm. Reynolds, the beloved and the 
brave, was dead, and Zook slumbered beside him ; Barlow, Paul, and 
many field and line officers had been killed. The men of the 1st 
Corps alone could in few instances turn to speak to the ones who stood 
beside them in the morning without meeting with a vacant space. 
The havoc in that corps was so frightful^ as to reduce it fully one- 
half, and that in the 11th Corps — nobly rescued from the suspicion 
•which rested upon it before — Avas scarcely less great. Yet the little 
army flinched not, but stood ready to fall as others had fallen, even 
to the last man. With what a thrill of relief General Howard, who 
had sent messenger after messenger during the day to Slocum and 
Sickles, saw in the distance at evening the approaching bayonets of 
the 3d and 12th Cori:)s, only they can tell who fought l)eside him. 
Those corps arrived and assumed positions on the right and left of 
the 1st and 11th on the heights about Cemetery hill at dusk. The 
enemy made no further demonstration that night. General Meade 
and staff arrived before eleven o'clock. The commander then exam- 
ined the position, and posted the several cordis in the following order: 
The 12th (Slocum) on the right; the 11th (Howard) next ; the 2d 
(Hancock), 1st (Doubleday), and dd (Sickles), in the centre; the 5th 
(Sykes) on the extreme left. The situation was brilliant, command- 
ing. For almost the first time in the history of this army's career 
belonged the julvantage in the decisive battles which ensued. 

The heights on which our trooj^s were posted sloped gently down- 
ward from our front. The line stretched in a semi-circle — its convex 
centre toward Gettysburg, the extremes toward the southwest and 
south. Ledges on the interior sides gave our soldiers in some in- 
stances a 2)artial shelter from artillery. Every road was commanded 
by our cannon, and the routes by which Lee might otherwise soonest 



OF THE "WAR. S8I 

retreat in case o. nis defeat were all in our possession. At every one 
weaker than others reserves were judiciously posted, and the cavalry 
— an arm of the service scarcely brought into play in some recent and 
destructive battles — protected both our flanks in immense numbers. 

Thus the great army lay down to sleep at midnight, and awoke on 
the morn of a day more sanguinary than the last. 

THE BATTLE OF TnURSDAY, 

On what a spectacle the sun of Thursday rose, the memory of at 
least that portion of our fcn-ces who witnessed it from Cemetery hill 
will linger forever. From its crest the muzzles of fifty cannon pointed 
toward the hills beyond the town. From the bluffs to the right and 
left additional artillery frowned, and away on either side, m a grace- 
ful and majestic curve, thousands of infantry moved into battle line, 
their bayonets gleaming like serpents' scales. Tlic roofs of Gettys- 
burg in the valley below, the rifts of woodland along the borders of 
Rock creek, the orchards far down on the left, the fields green and 
beautiful, in which the cattle were calmly grazing, composed a scene 
of such peace as it appeared was never made to be marred by the 
clangor of battle. I strolled out to the cemetery ere the dew was yet 
melted from the grass, and leaned against a monument to listen to 
the singing of birds. One note, milder than the rest, had just broken 
from the throat of an oriole in the foliage above me when the sullen 
rattle of musketry on the left told that skirmishing had begun. Simi- 
lar firing soon opened on the entire rebel line, and although no nota- 
ble demonstration was made during the forenoon, it was api^arent 
that the enemy was feeling our strength preliminary to some decisive 
effort. 

The day wore on full of anxious suspense. It was not until four 
o'clock in the afternoon that the enemy gave voice in (jarnest. He 
then began a heavy fire on Cemetery hiii. It must not be thought 
that this wrathful fire was unanswered. Our artillery began to jilay 
within a few moments, and hurled back defiance and like destruction 
ujion the rebel lines. Until six o'clock the roar of cannon, the rush 
of missiles, and the hurling of bombs filled all the air. The clangor 
alone of this awful combat might well have confused and awed a less 
cool and watchful commander than General ]\Icadc. It did not con 
fuse him. With the calculation of a tactician and the eye of an 
experienced judge he watched from his headquarters on the hill what- 
ever movement under the murky cloud winch enveloped the rebel 
lines might first disclose the intention which it was evident this artil- 
lery firing covered. About six o'clock p. m. silence, deep, awful, im- 
pressive, but momentary, was permitted as if by magic to dwell upon 



882 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the field. Only the groans, unheard before, of the wounded and dy- 
ing, only the murmur — a morning memory — of the breeze through 
the foliage, only the low rattle of preparation of what was to come, 
embroidered the blank stillness. Then, as the smoke beyond the vil- 
lage was lightly borne to the eastward, the woods on the left were 
seen filled with dark masses of infantrj', three columns deep, who ad- 
vanced at a quickstep. Magnificent ! Such a charge l)y such a force 
— full forty-five thousand men, under Hill and Lougstrcet — even 
though it threatened to pierce and annihilate the 3d Corps, against 
which it was directed, drew forth cries of admiration from all who 
beheld it. General Sickles and his splendid command withstood the 
shock with a determination that checked, but could not fully restrain 
it. Back, inch by inch, fighting, falling, dying, cheering, the men 
retired. The rebels came on furiously, halting at intervajs, pouring 
volleys that struck our troops down in scores. General Sickles, fight- 
ing dcsijcratcly, was struck in tlie log and fell. The 2d Corps came 
to the aid of his column. The battle then grew fearful. Standing 
firmly up against the storm, our troops, though still outnumbered, 
■ gave back shot for shot, volley for volley, almost deatli for death. 
Still the enemy was not restrained. Domu he came upon our left 
with a momentum that nothing could check. The rifled guns that 
lay before our infantry on a knoll were in danger of capture. Gene- 
ral Hancock was M'ounded in the thigh, General Gibbon in the shoul- 
der. The 5th Corps, as the 1st and 2d wavered anew, went into the 
breach with such shouts and such volleys as made the rebel column 
tremble at last. Up from the valley behind, another battery came 
rolling to the heights and flung its contents in an instant down in the 
midst of the enemy's ranks. Crash ! crash ! with discharges deafen- 
ing, terrible, the musketry firing went on ; the enemy reforming after 
each discharge with wondrous celerity and firmness, still pressed up 
the declivity. What hideous carnage filled the minutes between the 
appearance of the 5th Corps and the advance to the support of the 
rebel columns of still another column from the right, I cannot bear 
to tell. Men fell as the leaves fall in autunm before those awful dis- 
charges. Faltering for an instant, the rebel columns seemed about 
to recede before the tempest. But their officers, who could be seen 
through the smoke of the conflict gallojiing and swinging their 
swords along the lines, rallied them anew, and the next instant the 
whole line sprang forward as if to break through our own by mere 
weight of numbers. A division from the 12t^' Corps on the extreme, 
right reached the scene at this instant, and at the same time Sedg- 
wick came uj) with the 6th Corps, having finished a march of nearly 
thirty-six consecutive hours. To Avhat rescue they came, their officers 



OF THE WAR. BH'6 

saw and told tliem. Weary as they were, barefooted, hungry, fit to 
drop for slumber as tliey were, the wish for victory was so blendea 
with the thought of exhaustion that they cast themselves in turn 
en masse into line of battle, and went down on the enemy with death 
in their weapons and clieers on their lips. Tlie rebel camel's back 
was bi-oken by this "feather." His line staggered, reeled, and drifted 
slowly back, while the shouts of our soldiers lifted up amid the roar 
of musketry over the bodies of the dead and wounded, proclaimed 
the completeness of their victory. Meanwhile, as the division of Slo- 
cum's corijs on the extreme right left its post to join in this triumph, 
another column of the enemy, under command of General Ewell, had 
dashed savagely against our weakened right wing, and as the failure 
to turn our left became known it seemed as if determination to con- 
quer in this part of the field overcame alike the enemy's fear of death 
and his jilans for victory elsewhere. The fight was terrific, and for 
fifteen minutes the attack to Avhich the three divisions of the 12th 
Corps were subjected was more furious than anything ever known in 
the history of this army. The Glli Corps went to their support, the 
IstCorjis followed, and from dusk into darkness, until half-past nine 
o'clock, the battle raged with varied fortune and unabated fury. Our 
troops were compelled by overpowering numbers to fall back a short 
distance, abandoning several rifle-pits and an advantageous position 
to the enemy, who, haughty over his advantage and made desperate 
by defeat in other quarters, then made a last struggling charge 
against that division of our right wing commanded by General 
Geary. General Geary's troops immortalized themselves by their re- 
sistance to this attempt. They stood like adamant, a moveless, death- 
dealing machine, before whose volleys the rebel column withered and 
went down by hundreds. After a slaughter inconceivable the repulse 
of Ewell was complete, and he retired at ten o'clock p. m. to the po- 
sition before referred to. The firing from all quarters of the field 
ceased soon after that hour, and no other attack w'as made until 
morning. 

THE BATTLE OF FRIDAY. 

As one who stands m a tower and looks down upon a lengthy pa- 
geant marching tlirough a thoroughfare, finds it impossible at 
the close to recall m order the appearances and the incidents of the 
scene, so i, who sit this evening on a camp-stool beside the ruins of 
the monument against which I leaned listening to the robin of yester- 
dav, find it impossible to recall with distinctness the details of the 
unpaialleled battle iust closed. The conflict waged by one hundred 
and sixty thousand men, which has occupied with scarce an interval 



384 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of rest the entire day, from lour a. m. until six o'clock this cvemng, 
contains so much, so near, and such voluminous matter^ of interest as 
one mind cannot grasp Avithout time for reflection. 

This last engagement has been the fiercest and most sanguinary of 
the war. It was begun at daylight by General Slocimi, whose troops, 
maddened by the loss of many comrades, and eager to retrieve the 
position lost by them on the jireceding evening, advanced and deliv- 
ered a destructive fire against the rebels under Ewell. That General's 
entire force resi^ouded with a charge that is memoraijlc even beyond 
those made by them yesterday. It was desperation against courage ! 
The firs of the enemy was mingled with yells, pifched even aljove its 
clangor. They came on, and on, and on, while the national troops, 
splendidly handled and well posted, stood unshaken to receive them. 
The fire with which they did receive them was rapid and so thick as 
to envelope the ranks of its deliverers with a pall that shut them from 
sight during the battle, which raged thcnccfurward for, six dreary 
hours. Out of this pall no straggler came to the rear. The line 
scarcely flinched from its position during the entire conflict. Huge 
masses of rebel infantry threw themselves into it again and again in 
vain. Back, as a ball hurled against a rock, these masses recoiled, 
and were reformed to be hurled anew against it with a fierceness un- 
fruitful of success — fruitful of carnage, as before. The strong posi- 
tion occupied by General Geary, and that held by General Birney. met 
the first and hardest assaults, but only fell back a short distance before 
fearful odds, to re-advance, to re-aoGuiiie and to hold their places in 
company with Sykes' division of the 5th Corps and Humphrey's 
(Berry's old diyision) of the 3d, when, judiciously re-enforced with 
artillerv, they renewed and continued the contest until its close. It 
seemed as if the grey-uniformed troops, who were advanced and re- 
advanced by their officers up to the very edge of the line of smoke in 
front of our infantry, were impelled by some terror in their rear, 
■which they were as unable to withstand as they were to make head- 
way a!?ainst the fire in their front. It was hard to believe such des- 
peration voluntary. It was harder to believe that the courage which 
withstood and defeated it was mortal. 

The enemy gradually drew forward his whole line until in many 
places a hand to hand conflict raged for minutes. His artillery, an- 
swered by ours, played upon our columns with fnghtful result ; yet 
they did not waver. The battle was in this way evenly contested for 
a time, but at a moment when it . seemed problematical which side 
would fain the victoiy, a re-enforcement arrived and were formed in 
line at such a position as to enfilade the enemy and teach him at last 
the futility of his efforts. Disordered, routed and confused, his whole 



OF THE WAR. S85 

force retreated, and at eleven o'clock the battle ceased, and tlic still- 
ness of death ensued. The silence continued until two p, M. At this 
moment the rebel artillery from all points, in a circle radiatinj^ around 
our own, began a terrific and concentrated fire on Cemetery hill, 
Avhich was held, as I have j^^viously stated, by the 11th and 2d 
Corps. The flock of pigeons, which not ten minutes jnevious had 
darkened the sky above, were scarcely thicker tiian the flock of Iioni- 
blc missiles that now, instead of sailing liarmlessly above, descended 
upon our position. The atmosphere Avas thick with shot and shell. 
The storm broke upon us so suddenly that soldiers and ollieers — who 
leaped, as it began, from their tents, or from lazy siestas on the grass — 
■were striken in their rising with morfal wounds and died, some with 
ygars between their teeth, some with pieces of food in their fingers, 
and one at least — a pale young German, from Pennsylvania — with a 
miniature of his sister in his hands, that seemed more meet to grasp 
An artist's pencil than a musket. Horses fell, shrieking such awful 
cries as Cooper told. of, and writhing themselves about in hopeless 
agonj'. The boards of fences, scattered by explosion, flew in splin- 
ters through the air. The earth, torn up in clouds, blinded the eyes 
of huriying men ; and through the branches of the trees and among 
the gra#stone3 of • the cemetery a shower of destruction crashed 
ceaselessly. As, with hundreds of others, I groi)ed through this tem- 
pest of death for the shelter of the bluff, an old man, a private in 
a company belonging to the Twenty-fourth iMichigan, was struck 
scarcely ten ftet away by a cannon ball, which tore through him, ex- 
torting such a low, intense cry of mortal pain as I pray God I may 
never again hear. The hill, which seemed alone devoted to this rain 
of death, was cleai" in nearly all its unsheltered places within five 
minutes after the fire began. 

Our batteries responded immediately. Three hours of cannona- 
ding ensued, exceeding in fierceness any ever known. Probably 
three hundred cannon were fired simultaneously until four o'clock, 
•when the rebel infantry were again seen massing in the woods front- 
ing our centre, formed by the 1st and 2d Cor^js. General Doubleday's 
troops met this charge with the same heroic courage that had so often 
repelled the enemy in his desperate attempts. The charge was made 
spirited!}' but less venomously than before. General Webb, com- 
manding the Second brigade. Second division, of the 2d Corps, met 
the fury of the attack with a steady fire that served to retard the 
enemy's advance for a moment. That moment was occupied by the 
rebel General Armistcad in steadying his troops behind the fence. 
General Webb immediately ordered a charge, which was made with 
such eagerness and swiftness, and iupported by such numbers of our 

49 2h 



880 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

troops, as enabled us to partialh' suiround the enemy and capture 
General Armistead and three thousand, of his men. The carnage 
which accompanied this charge and the terror inspiied by it were so 
great as to reduce numbers of the foe to actual cowardice. They fell 
upon their knees and faces, holding forward their guns and begging 
for mercy, Mhile their escaped comrades, panic-stricken and utterly 
routed, ran down across the ditches and fences, through the fields 
and through Gettysburg. Not a column remained to make another 
start. The triumph fought for during these three terrible days be- 
longed at lust to the noble Army ot the Potomac. 

Pollard, the Southern historian, concedes fully the over- 
whelming nature of Lee's defeat. The attempted assault, 
referred to by the correspondent above, in his last paragraph, 
was made by Pickett's division, of Longstreet's corps. It 
was composed of the brigades of Kemper, Garnett jind Ar- 
mistead. Their supports were Ileth's division and Wilcox's 
brigade — the chosen men of Longstreet's command. It was 
a daring, desperate, last attempt to carry the hill. Garnett 
was killed ; Armistead and Kemper desperately wounded ; 
the division was almost annihilated, for the supports had 
failed to withstand the terrors of the Federal fire. That lost 
the day, and night closed on a defeat which was not over- 
whelming in its extent only because the Federals failed to 
press their advantage. 

That night, early, Lee's forces began to retire by the Fair- 
field road, striking for Williamsport ?;2.a Hagerstown, which 
latter place was reached on the dih, 7th. The enemy was 
much worried by the Federal cavalry under Kilpatrick and 
Pleasanton, who succeeded in cutting off his trains and se- 
curing large bodies of stragglers. A heavy rain caused such 
a rise in the river as rendered it necessary for Lee to halt his 
whole arm}^, which he did taking up a strong position around 
Williamsport, toward Falling Waters. There he remained, 
undisturbed, until the 13th, when he passed over, by fording 
and by a pontoon bridge, his entire army in safetj^ By one 
p. M. of the 14:th, he had placed the river between him and 
his victorious but slowly pursuing adversary. On the 15th 
the Confederates marched to Bunker Hill, and from thence 



OF THE WAR. 387 

pursued its way to its old quarters along the Eappaliannock. 
Tlie failure of Meade, re-enforced as he was by heavy bodies 
of new troops from New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, 
to strike Lee at Williamsport, lost the opportunity of totally 
destroying or capturing the rebel host which a less cautious 
leader would surely not have left unimproved ; and Lee's 
safe withdrawal in the very Hxce of an enemy then nearly or 
quite double his own in numbers and strength of artillery, 
was a piece of good fortune over which he might well be 
justified in exulting. 

Ills repulse and failure to accomplish any of the objects 
of the invasion, added to the fall of Vicksburg, on the same 
day as his defeat, July 4th, caused a despondency at the 
South never before felt. Said Pollard : " But news of an 
overshadowing calamity, undoubtedly the greatest that had 
yet befallen the South, accompanied that of Lee's retreat, 
and dated a second period of disaster more frightful than that 
of Donelson and New Orleans. The same day that Lee's 
repulse was known in Kichmond, came the astounding intel- 
ligence of the fall of Vicksburg. In twenty-four hours two 
calamities changed all the aspects of the war, and brought 
the South from an unequaled exaltation of hope to the very 
brink of despair." 

To this second signal calamity to rebel fortunes and Con- 
federate hopes we at once recur. 



XXXVIII. 

THE FALL OF VICKSBURG. 

Grant's campaign against Vicksburg is one of the most 
remarkable in the history of modern warfare. Commencing 
late in November it was prosecuted up to its final and suc- 
cessful close with a tenacity, a vigor, a power of endurance 



INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

truly astonishing ; while the obstacles overcome, the ingenu- 
ity exercised, the herculean labors performed read, in this 
stor}^, more like a romance than matter of fact. One of those 
achievements which shook the Confederacy to its centre, and, 
by cutting the domain of rebellion in twain, severing its very 
body, the siege and fall of Vicksburg merits a permanent 
place in every volume devoted to the story of the war ; and 
we shall give the subject its merited space in this volume of 
heroic deeds. 

Grant's "department" was so extended (October 16th) as 
to embrace all of Mississippi down to Vicksburg — with refer- 
ence to turning the enemy out of that most coveted position. 
The General assumed formal command of his new territory 
October 25th. On the 26th his orders assigned the different 
districts to his division commanders. At once he entered 
upon the work before him. By orders dated November 1st, 
his regulations for army trains and baggage were published: 
they proved most conckisively that the campcign was to be 
one of work. Strong reconnoissances were made to the 
south. , Headquarters were advanced, November 4th, from 
Jackson, Tennessee, to La Grange, Mississippi. The enemy 
was found to be concentrating on his front. Lovell, with 
two divisions, was north of Holly Springs. Price was below 
that place with twelve thousand men, while at Abbeville was 
a conscript camp said to contain (November 8th) thirteen 
thousand raw troops. This was the condition of affairs at 
the opening of the grand campaign against Vicksburg. 

The principal object of the projected campaign was the 
opening of the Mississippi river, the men of the Northwest 
demanding that their great highway to the gulf should be 
cleared of rebels, and expressing their determination to cut 
their way through at all hazards. The chief objective point 
was Vicksburg, twelve miles below the mouth of the Yazoo, 
at which place the rebel batteries completely blockaded the 
river. After the formidable works at Island No. 10 and at 
Fort Pillow had been captured by the combined efforts of 
the army and Foote's flotilla, the rebel authorities bestowed 



I 

I 
I 

i 



OFTHEWAR. 889 

t 

more attention upon the Yicksburg position, and set vigor- 
ously at work to strengthen it by erecting more defensive 
works and mounting lieavier guns. By nature the Vicks- 
burg bluffs were immensely strong, and the natural advanta- 
ges of the location had been increased by art, until the posi- 
tion was almost impregnable. It was impossible to capture 
it from the river side, and the rear of the town, owing to the 
peculiar conformation of the ground, had been made nearly 
as strong as the front. At Yazoo City, up the Yazoo, the 
rebels had a number of fine steamboats, some of which were 
being fitted up as gunboats and. rams. They had strongly 
fortified Haines' Bluff, a short distance above the mouth of 
the Yazoo, thus blockading that river, and protecting Yicks- 
burg from an attack on the north side. 

• Three efforts for the reduction of Yicksburg had been made 
before the campaign which eventuated in the success of Grant 
On the 1st of June, 1862, the fleet of Commodore Farragut, 
having accomplished the capture of New Orleans, ascended 
the river, and ineffectually attacked a battery at Grand Gulf, 
a short distance below Yicksburg. On the 8th, after the 
capture of Memphis, a part of the fleet returned to Grand 
Gulf from above, and succeeded in silencing the br.ttery at 
that place for the time. The Western gunboat fleet also 
came down, but attempted nothing against Yicksburg until 
the latter part of June, when the fortifications were shelled 
until the end of July, at which ti«ie, on account of low water, 
the vessels were obliged to move down the river. The rebel 
ram Arkansas came out from the Yazoo, and passed through 
the fleet, doing considerable damage, but was subsequently 
destroj^ed by the gunboat Essex. A division of infantry, 
under General Williams, had, in the mean time, been en- 
deavoring to turn the position by cutting a canal across the 
peninsula nearly opposite Yicksburg. The suecess of this 
plan would have enabled gunboats and transports to pass 
below the city; but, in the latter part of July, the river had 
become so low that it was necessary to raise the siege, and 
the canal was filled up by the rebels. The works at Yicks- 
2h2 



390 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

burg were then made still stronger, and Port Hudson, on the 
Louisiana side, above Baton Eouge, was fortified, for the 
purpose of blockading the river against the fleet below. 

Such was the condition of affairs when Grant, at the head 
of an increased, well-organized and victorious army, com- 
posed principally of the sturdy and earnest fighting men of 
the Northwest, commenced his celebrated campaign against 
Vicksburg. 

As a preliminary movement, a reconnoitering force of in- 
fantry and cavalry, under Generals Hovey and Washburne, 
started, on the 28th of November, from near the mouth of 
the Yazoo Pass, captured a rebel camp at the mouth of the 
Coldwater river, and advanced along the Coldwater and Tal- 
lahatchie, cutting the railroad at Gardner's Station. The re- 
con noissance was subsequently carried through Panola and 
Oakland, toward Coff'eeville, returning to the mouth of the 
Coldwater. This recoimoi.-sance, in connection with others, 
was intended to prepare the way for Grant's advance, and 
create a panic among the rebels. All were eminently suc- 
cessful. The Commanding General, with the main column, 
moved down from Grand Junction into Mississippi, skirmish- 
ing slightly on the way, until he established his headquarters 
at Oxford. 

This movement was intended to be made in connection 
and co-operation with an expedition which was to proceed 
down the river from Memphis, under General W. T. Sher- 
man. Grant was now at the head of four army corps, 
commanded respectively by Major-Generals John A. Mc- 
Clernand, William T. Sherman, Stephen A. Iluiibut and 
John B. MePherson. With this force, considering the posi- 
tion and strength of the rebels at that time, it is highly 
probable that the combined movement would have been suc- 
cessful, and would have resulted in the capture of Vicks- 
burg, had it not been for an untoward circumstance that 
occurred in Grant's rear, disarranging his plans for the time 
being, and causing a disastrous termination of the expe- 
dition. 



OF THE V/AR. 391 

That circumstance was the surrender of Holly Springs, 
the principal depot of supplies for the main army. The 
rebels had made attempts upon Grant's communications, 
wdiich had been easily repulsed ; but in their attack upon 
Holly Springs they were, unfortunately, successful — that im- 
portant post, with all its stores and munitions of war, being 
surrendered. Grant, strongly impressed with the reprehen- 
sible circumstances attending this surrender, after full inves- 
tigation and. due consideration, issued an order of censure 
and dismissal against Colonel 11. C. Murphy, of the Eighth. 
Wisconsin. The order also highly censured the officers and 
men who had accepted paroles from the enemy, and com- 
mended those who had done their duty and bravely de- 
fended their posts. The effect of these measures, in the 
future, was very salutary. The great mischief had been 
done, however, and he was comj)elled to fall back for the 
purpose of recruiiing his supplies, establishing his headquar- 
ters at Holly Springs. 

General Sherman, in pursuance of the part of the plan 
intrusted to him, embarked his forces at Memphis, December 
18th, and proceeded down the river. One hundred and 
twenty-seven transports, exclusive of two gun-boats, were 
required for this expedition. It was composed of the best 
fighting material of the West. Sherman, however, was not 
aware that Grant's forces had been obliged to fall back to 
Holly Springs, and could not have been informed of it until 
it was too late. The design was that Grant should move 
upon Jackson, while Sherman should attack Vicksburg; but 
the surrender of Holly Springs prevented this combination, 
and the rebel troops who had been I'ctreating before Grant 
were enabled to oppose Sherman at Vicksburg. 

On the 26th of December, Sherman's forces arrived at 
Johnston's Landing, were disembarked under cover of the 
gunboats, and moved to the rear of Vicksburg. The troops 
consisted of four divisions, and were known as the "ri2:ht 
wing of the Army of the Tennessee." The next morning 
they were drawn up in line of battle, and advanced upon 



392 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the works, driving the enemy a quarter of a mile. The next 
two days were occupied in vain attempts to storm those for- 
midable works, but they were found lo be absolutely im- 
pregnable to the force under Sherman. Although the troopa 
fought with the most determined bravery, the enemy, behind 
his extensive defenses, was enabled to outnumber them at 
all points. The Federals carried a few positions, but wero 
unable to hold them, and were obliged to fall back with 
heavy loss. General Blair's brigade lost over one-third ol 
its number in killed, wounded and captured. The dead and 
wounded were cared for under a flag of truce, and the army 
was re-embarked. 

The grand movement had failed, but neither Grant nor 
Sherman was to blame for the failure. As General Sherman 
said, in an order issued after the battle: "Ours was but part 
of a combined movement, in which others were to assist ! 
We, were on time; unforeseen contingencies must have de- 
layed the others." 

General McClernand arrived after the re-embarkation, and, 
by virtue of his rank, took command of the " right wing/' 
changing its title to the "Army of the Mississippi."' He 
immediately moved it up the river and attacked Arkansas 
Post, on the Arkansas river, which was captured. Avith from 
seven to ten thousand prisoners and a lai'ge quantity of 
stores and munitions of war. The effect of this brilliant 
exploit, besides its material value, was to improve the morale 
of the army. 

Shortly afterward the two corps — the 13th and loth — 
composing McClernand's command, were withdi-awn. and 
were again attached to Grant's army, reporting to him at 
Memphis on the 23d of January, 18'?8. 

Removing the greater portion of his army from Northern 
Mississippi, leaving garrisons at Corinth and other points. 
Grant established his headquarters at Memphis and set at 
work vigorously to prepare for another campaign agamsi the 
great rebel^stronghold on the Mississippi. His preparations 
were pushed forward so rapidly, that by the end ol January, 



OF THE WAR. 393 

1863, he had landed his army at Young's Point and Milli- 
ken s Bend, near Vicksburg, locating his headquarters at 
Milliken's Bend, It was his opinion that the only plan to 
pursue was to flank the rebel position by striking it from the 
south side ; but the great difficulty was to reach the south 
side. No troops or supplies could be conveyed thither by 
the river, either from above or from below. In accordance 
with his convictions, as appears by his official report, he re- 
newed the work at Williams' canal, across the peninsula, op- 
posite Vicksburg — pushing the work with vigor, hoping to 
make a channel which would pass transports for moving the 
army and supplies to a new base" below. The task was 
much more herculean than it at first appeared, and was made 
still more so by the almost continuous rains that fell during 
the whole of the time this work was prosecuted. The river, 
too, continued to rise and make a large expenditure of labor 
necessary to keep the water out of the camps and the canal. 
Finally, on the 8th of March, the rapid rise of the river, and 
the consequent great pressure upon the dam across the canal, 
near the upper end, at the main Jklississippi levee, causing it 
to give way, and, through the lowlands at the back of the 
camps, a torrent of water rushed that separated the north 
and south shores of the peninsula as eftectually as if the 
Mississippi flowed between them. This occurred when the 
enterprised promised success within a short time. There 
was some delay in tr^nng to repair damages. It was found, 
however, that, with the stage of water at that time, some 
other plan must be adopted for getting below Vicksburg 
with transports. 

It was next proposed, with considerable show of feasibil- 
ity, to open a route through the bayous that run throngh 
Milliken's Bend above Vicksburg, through the Tensas i-iver, 
to near New Carthage, below the city. A canal was cut, 
dredge-boats were set at work, and the route progressed rap- 
idly until about the middle of April, when the falling river 
put an end to the operation, after one small steamer and a 
number of barges had been taken through. While this 
50 



894 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"work was in progress a canal was cut from the Mississippi 
river into Lake Providence, and one irtto the Coldwater, bj 
way of Yazoo Pass. "1 had no great expectations," sajs 
General Grant, "of important results from the former of 
these, but having more troops than could be employed to 
advantage at Young's Point, and knowing that Lake Provi- 
dence was connected by Bayou Baxter with Bayou Macon, 
a navigable stream through which transports might pass into 
the Mississippi below, through Tensas, "Wachita, and Eed 
rivers, I thought it possible tliat a route might be opened in 
that direction which would enable me to co-operate with 
General Banks at Port Hudson.' Upon this route, also, the 
work progressed so far that a small steamer and several 
barges v/ere taken into the lake through the canal, but the 
fall of the river, and other circumstances, necessitated the 
abandonment of the project 

By the Yazoo Pass route General Grant only expected, at 
first, to get into the Yazoo by way of Coldwater and Talla- 
hatchie rivers with some light gunboats and a few troops, 
and destroy the enemy's transports in that stream, and some 
gunboats which he was known to be building. The navi- 
gation, however, proved so much better than had been ex- 
pected that it was thought possible to use the route for the 
purpose of flanking the position of Haines' Bluff, on the 
Yazoo. This plan was certainly feasible, as the Pass had 
been often navigated in former times ; but, although it came 
near being a success, it was eventually frustrated by the ef- 
forts of the enemy, and by causes beyond the control of the 
commanding General. 

It was impossible to obtain a sufficient number of light- 
drausrht boats for the movement of more than one division. 
The division selected was from McClernand's corps, com- 
manded by Brigadier-General L. R Boss. It entered the 
Pass on the 25th of February, 1863, and reached the Ct>ld- 
water on the 2d of March, the Pass being only twenty miles 
in length. The difficulty of the navigation may be inferred 
from the fact that the boats, from the time of entering tha 



OFTHEWAE. 895 

Pass, only averaged the progress of one mile in three and a 
half hours ! 

The boats succeeded in getting through the Pass, many 
of them, however, in a damaged condition. They found the 
Coldwater a little better than the Pass for purposes of navi- 
gation ; but their progress in that stream also was very slow. 
They met with no serious opposition from the enemy until 
they reached the point at which the Tallahatchie and the 
Yallabusha, uniting, form the Yazoo river. Here the rebels 
had erected a fort, called Fort Pemberton, extending from 
the Tallahatchie to the Yazoo, at Greenwood. The slow 
progress of the gunboats and transports through the Pass 
and the Coldwater had given the rebels time to erect exten- 
sive fortifications, and to mount heavy guns, brought from 
Vicktburg, which completely blockaded the stream. The 
land around Fort Pemberton being low, and entirely over- 
flowed at the time the attack was made, the services of the 
army were not available. Nothing could be done unless the 
gunboats should be able to silence the battery and allow the 
transports to run down. The gunboats made the attempt, 
but after an engagement of several hours they were com- 
pelled to withdraw. General Quimby, with another division, 
proceeded down to Greenwood, and took command of the 
expedition. On the 23d of March General Grant oi'dered 
the return of all the forces operating in that direction, for the 
purpose of concentrating his army at Milliken's Bend. 

Before the withdrawal of the force from the Tallaliatchie, 
another r.tterapt was made to get into the Yazoo and flank 
the Haines' Bluff position. On the 14th of M«rch, Admiral 
D. D. Porter, commanding the Mississippi squadron, inform- 
ed General Grant that he had made a reconnois?ance up 
Steele's bayou, and partially through Black bayou, toward 
Deer creek, and, so flir as explored, those water-courses were 
reported navigable for the smaller gunboats. The General 
immediately accompanied Admiral Porter en a rcconnois- 
sance up Steele's bayou, and it seemed practicable to open a 
route to the Yazoo in that direction. If Black bayou and. 



896 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Deer creek could be navigated to Eolling fork, there could 
be no question of the navigation through Rolling fork and 
the Sunflower to the Yazoo. The success of the movement 
would have caused the evacuation or cajjture of Fort Pem- 
berton, would have compelled the destruction or surrender 
of a large number of steamboats, and would have flanked 
the position at Haines' Bluff. 

Perceiving that the great obstacle to navigation, as far as 
he had gone, was from overhanging trees, General .Grant re- 
turned to Young's Point, and sent forward a pioneer force 
for the purpose of removing those difficulties. Admiral Por- 
ter recj[uested a co-operating military force, and a division of 
Sherman's corps, under tiiat officer, was promptly forwarded 
to him. This expedition failed, as Genei'al Grant saj's, pro- 
bably more from want of knowledge as to what would be 
required to open the route, than from any impracticability 
in the navigation of the streams and baj^ous through which 
it was proposed to pass. Want of this knowledge led the 
expedition on until new difficulties were encountered, which 
rendered it necessary to send back to Young's Point for the 
means of removing them. This gave the enemy time to 
move forces to effectually checkmate further progress, and 
the expedition was withdrawn when within a few hundred 
yards of free and open navigation to the Yazoo. In effect- 
ing the withdrawal of the fleet. Generals Shei-man and Stu- 
art, commanding the land forces, were entitled to the highest 
credit. 

The fiiilure of these expeditions left but one course to be 
pursued — to flank the stronghold by moving down on the 
Louisiana side. To this end General Grant now bent all his 
energies. The bayou movements had been successful in so 
far as they had caused the destruction of large quantities of 
the enemy's propert}^, and had diverted considerable portions 
of his forces from Vicksburg. 

The chief source of supplies to the enemy at Vicksburg 
had been the Red river, with which they had free and unin- 
terrupted communication. Until this source could be cut 



OF THE V/AR. 897 

off, it was impossible to reduce the place by siege. Grant, 
therefore, attempted to close the Eed river, before making 
his projected movement to the south. Early in February, 
the ram Queen of the West^ commanded by Colonel Ellett, 
ran by the batteries, and proceeded up the Eed river, cap- 
turing three of the enemy's transports. Making another trip, 
she succeeded in destroying a large army train. She after- 
wards captured a transport "with a large quantity of corn, 
and proceeded furiher up the river, where she engaged a 
rebel battery. During the engagement she was run aground, 
and, in that condition, was so disabled that it became neces- 
sary to abandon her. Colonel Ellett escaped, and returnee^ 
in a captured steamer, until he met the iron-clad Indianola, 
which had also passed the Vicksburg guns, for the purpose 
of supporting the Queen of the West. The Indlavola started 
up Eed river, to destroy the battery and recapture the Fed- 
eral ram, but it was thought advisable to return. The boat 
remained at the mouth of the river to blockade it. On the 
night of the 24th (February), however, she was attacked by 
four steamers, including the captured Queen of the TFes^, and, 
after an engagement of one hour and twenty-seven minutes, 
was rua ashore and surrendered. She was afterward blown 
up by the rebels, who were frightened by a coal barge, ar- 
ranged to appear like a gunboat, that was floated down past 
the Vicksburg batteries during the night. 

In connection with his movement to the south, Grant 
deemed it necessary to destroy the enemy's communications 
in Mississippi, 1o as great an extent as possible. According- 
ly, a brigade of cavahy, under Colonel B. U. Grierson, was 
detailed for this purpose, and accomplished the most daring, 
brilliant and remarkable cavalry exploit of the war. It left 
La Grange, Tennessee, on the 17th of April, 1SG3, and ar- 
rived in safety and in triumph at Baton Eouge, Ltmisiana, 
on the 1st of May, having, during that time, marched over 
eight hundred miles, through the heart of the enemy's coun- 
try, skirmishing most of the time, and completely cutting 

the enemy's communications with Vicksburg, and theii 
2i 



398 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Other strongholds on the Mississippi. The total value of 
property destroyed was estimated at over four millions of 
dollars. Over a thousand prisoners and twelve hundi-ed 
horses were captured. 

This exploit, besides its material value, spread great terror 
through the State of Mississippi, and was very inspiriting to 
our army and the loj'al North. 

Grant now detei'mined to occupy New Carthage, it being 
the first point that could be reached by land at that stage of 
the river. It had been supposed, very reasonably, that this 
plan was the one upon which he had really relied for success, 
although he modestly states, in his official report, alluding 
to the failure of the various bayou expeditions, that "all this 
may have been providential in driving ns ultimately to a 
lino of operations which has proven eminently successful.'' 

On the 29th of March, 18b3, the 13ih Corps, under Mc- 
Clernand, was ordered to take up its line of march for New 
Carthage, the 11th and 17th Corps to follow, moving no 
faster than supplies and ammunition could be transported to 
them. The roads, however, were found to be intolerably 
bad, and progress was necessarily slow. Arriving near New 
Carthage it was found that the levee of Bayou Vidal was 
broken in several places, thus leaving New Carthage an 
island. It was necessary to choose another route, and "a fur- 
ther march was made around Vidal to Perkins' plantation, a 
distance of twelve miles more, making the whole distance to 
be marched from Milliken's Bend, to reach water communi- 
cation below, thirty-five miles. Over this distance, says 
General Grant, with bad roads to contend against, supplies 
of ordinance stores and provisions had to be hauled by wag- 
ons, with which to commence the campaign on the opposite 
side of the river. 

It was obvious that it would be extreme])^ difficult, if not 

impracticable, to forward the necessary supplies for a large 

army by such a route. The expedition of the Queen of the 

Wc^t and the IndianoJa had demonstrated the feasibiUty of 

running transports past the Vicksburg batteries. The ex- 



OF THE WAR. 899 

periment was a, dangerous one, but it was resolved to adopt 
it. If supplies could be taken below in this way, Grant 
hoped to accumulate a considerable quantity at Grand Gulf 
before moving inward, and to be thus enabled to co-operate 
with General Banks, who was preparing to reduce Port Hud- 
son. This intention, however was subsequently changed. 

When the occupation of New Carthage was ordered, pre- 
parations were made for running transports, with Admiral 
Porter's gunboat fleet, by the Vicksburg batteries. In the 
mean time Admiral Farragut with his flagship, the Hartford, 
and her tender, the Albatross^ had come up from Kew Or- 
leans, having run past the batteries at Port Hudson, War- 
renton and Grand Gulf, and was anchored below Vicksburg. 
On the 25th of ]\Iarch, the rams Lancaster and Switzerland 
attempted to run the Vicksburg fortification, but one was 
sunk and the other disabled in the operation. The Sicitzer- 
land was repaired, and accompanied the Hartford and Alba- 
tross to the mouth of the Red river. 

On the night of the 16th of April the first grand attempt 
was made. Admiral Porter's fleet and three transports ran 
the gauntlet. Commissary stores were placed on the trans- 
ports, whose boilers were protected as well as possible. One 
was set on fire by the batteries and consumed, but the others 
got by without much damage. Six more transports were 
loaded and sent down, five of them getting through in a 
damaged condition. Of twelve barges loaded with forage 
and rations, sent down in tow of these transports, one-half 
got through in a condition to be used. The crews of most 
of these boats were composed of volunteers from the army. 
The transports were repaired by oi'der of Admiral Porter, 
and in a short time five of them were in running order, and 
the remainder in a condition to be used as barges for the 
movement of troops. 

Owing to his limited transportation, Grant found it neces- 
sary to extend his line of land travel to Hard Times, La., 
thus increasing the marching distance to seventy miles from 
Milliken's Bend. It was thought by many, at the time, that 



400 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

he was foolhardy in thus moving his army to so great a dis- 
tance fi'om his only secure base, over unknown and misera- 
ble roads; but the result proved that the persevering soldier 
was right, and that his " foolhardiness " was a stroke of mili- 
tarj^ geniua 

The fi-i'st thing was the capture of Grand Gulf by a com- 
bined naval and land attack. The gunboats were expected 
to silence the river batteries, when the troops were to land 
and storm the works. As much of the 13th Corps as could 
be got on transports and barges were moved to the front of 
Grand Gulf on the 29th of April. The navy made the at- 
tack in the morning, and an engagement ensued which lasted 
more ihan five hours. It soon became apparent to all that 
the guns of the enemy were too elevated and their fortifica- 
tions too strong to be taken from the water side. Grand 
Gulf must be flanked, and that could onl}^ be done by again 
running the enemy's batteries and effecting a landing at 
Eodney, Miss., or at Bruinsburg. Grant learning that there 
was a good rocd from Bruinsburg to Port Gibson, which 
flanked the position at Grand Gulf, determined to land at 
Bruinsburg. 

At dark the gunboats engaged the batteries, and under 
cover of their fire the transports all ran past Grand Gulf 
comparatively uninjured. At daylight in the morning both 
gunboats and transports were busily engaged in ferrying the 
troops across the river to Bruinsburg. By noon the 18th 
Corps was over, the 17th following as rapidly as possible. 

As soon as the 13th Corps was landed, three da3^s' rations 
were distributed, and McClernand started with his brave 
Western men on the road to Port Gibson. The 17th Corps, 
under McPherson, soon followed — General Grant deeming it 
of vast importance that the highlands should be reached 
without resistance. Everything was made subservient to 
celerity of movement. The commanding General was cer- 
tainly in the lightest marching order. An account states 
that he " disencumbered himself of everything, setting an 
example to his ofl&cers and men. He took neither a horse 



OF THE W A II . 401 

nor a servant, overcoat nor blanket, nor tent nor cnnip-cLest 
— not even a clean shirt. IJis only bnggnge consisted of a 
tootli-brusb ! lie alwaj's showed his teeth to the rebels. 
Ho shared all the hardships of the soldier, sleeping in the 
front and in the open air, and eating hanltack and salt pork, 
lie wore no sv/ord, had on a low-crowned citizen's hat ; and 
the only thing about him to mark him as a nnlitary man 
was the two stars on his undress military coat." 

The grand campaign against Yicksburg had now fairly 
commenced. The whole operations against that strongh-old 
maybe considered as a series of campaigns; but, at last, 
after the trial of various expedients, and after immense labor 
and much disappointment, the great and successful cffurt was 
to be made. Every thing now depended upon the ability 
and energy of the commanders, and the bravery and endu- 
rance of the troops. A]\ were found equal to the occasion. 

McClernand met the enemy, under General Bowen, about 
eiQ;ht miles from Bruinsbursr, on the road to Port Gibson, 
This was at two o'clock, p. M., on the 1st of May, 1863. The 
rebels were forced to fall back until dark. Early in the 
morning. Grant went to the front, and found McClernand 
fio-htino; about four miles from Port Gibson. Ilere the roads 
branched, and the enemy occupied both branches, in strong 
positions, as the roads ran along narrow, elevated ridges, 
with deep ravines on either side. On the right the divisions 
of Hovc}^, Carr and Smith drove the enemy steadily all da}'. 
On the left the rebels held their ground against the division 
of Osterhaus, until the arrival of a brigade of John A. Lo- 
gan's division, which was judiciously placed in position, and 
the enemy retreated, to make no further stand south of Bayou 
Pierre. On the road leading to Port Gibson the rebels were 
pursued until nightfall, when the troops slept upon their arms 
until daylight. 

This was callea tne battle of Port Gibson, or of Thompson's 
Hills. The rebel loss was very heavy, and the Union loss 
was about eight hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. 
The contest had been a bloody one, but the results were im- 



402 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

niensely vahuiblc, ns it assured the capture of Port Gibson 
and the evacuation of Grand Gulf 

The next morning McClernand's advance entered Port 
Gibson, the enemy liaving retreated, burning the bridge over 
Bayou J'ierre. In a shirt time a floating bridge was built, 
over which McPherson's corps crossed. They then marched 
cio-ht mi Irs to t!ie north ford of the bayou, bridged that 
stream, and commenced crossing at five o'clock tlie next 
morning. Such was- a sample of the "quick work" Grant 
deemed neces-ary. On ilie march a large quantity of bacon 
was captured, which the rebels had not time to destroy. It 
gave the Federal soldiers substantial comfort. 

The enemy was pursued to Ilawkinson's Ferry, on the Big 
Black river, so rapidly that he was unable to destroy his pon- 
toon bridge at that phice. The Union advance reached the 
ferry before dark, and halted, waiting for wagons, supplies, 
etc. Many prisoners, mostly stragglers from the enemy, 
were take n on the way, from whom it was ascertained that 
the fortifications at Grand Gulf had been evacuated and the 
magazine blown up. As the Federal advance already was 
fifteen miles from there, on the road to Vicksburg, Jackson 
or any other point between the two places, Grant resolved 
not to countermarch, but went to Gran^l Gulf, with a small 
cavalry escort, to make the necessary arrangements for 
changing his base of supplies from Bruinsburg to that place. 

The advance was commenced on the morning of May 1st, 
and on the 3.1, the commanding General dispatched the result 
to AVashington from Grand Gulf, reporting that the victory 
had been most complete, and that the enemy was thoroughly 
demoralized. 

While his headquarters were at Grand Gulf, Grant deter- 
mined upon an important change in his plans. It had been 
his intention, as has been seen, to co-operate, from that point, 
with General Banks, against Port Hudson. While at Grand 
Gulf, however, he received a letter from Banks, stating that, 
after the reduction of Port Hudson, which he expected to ac- 
complish by the 10th of May, he could join Grant with 



OF THE WAR. 403 

twelve thousand men. Having no idea of delaying his cam- 
paign for a possible accession of twefve thousand men, and 
learning that Southern troops, under Beauregard, were ex- 
pected at Jackson, he resolved to strike for the prize at once. 
lie may, also, have been influenced by the diflicuby (;f pro- 
curing supplies — one of his steamers, loaded with rations, 
having been sunk by a collision, and several barges, similarly 
freighted, having been destroyed by the Vicksburg batteries. 
It was, hence, advisable, if not absolutely necessary, to move 
into the interior and open communication with the North, at 
some jioint above Vicksburg. 

When General Grant proceeded to reduce Grand Gulf, it 
was important that the enemy should be prevented from 
sending re-enforcements from Vicksburg to the aid of that 
position. In moving down from Milliken's Bend, the 15th 
Corps, under Sherman, was left to be the last to start. Slier 
man had made all preparation to follow the advance, when, 
on the 26th of April, he received a letter from Grant, order- 
ing him to delay his march on account of the difficult nature 
of ihe road. On the 28th he received another letter, fixing 
the time for the attack upon Grand Gulf, and stating that a 
simultaneous feint on the enemy's batteries at Haines' Bluff 
would be most desirable, provided it could be done without 
the ill-effect on the army and the country of the appearance 
of a repulse. Sherman was directed to make all the sliow 
possible, and the ruse succeeded admirably. 

General Sherman, well knowing that the army could dis- 
tinguish a feint from a real attack, by subsequent events, and 
that the country would not be troubled by the movement, 
embarked Blair's division on ten steamboats, and, on the 
morning of the 29th of April, proceeded to the mouth of the 
Yazoo, where he found ten iron-clads, with some wooden 
gunboats, ready to co-operate with him. The fleet proceeded 
up the Yazoo, and lay, during the night, at the mouth of 
Chickasaw. Early next morning the gunboats moved with- 
in range of the enemy's batteries, and, during four hours, a 
spirited engagement was keot up, which Sherman pertinently 



404 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

called " a very pretty demonstration." The boats were then 
drawn off, the Choctaw having received fifty shots, but no 
men having been hurt. Toward evening the troops were 
disembarked in full view of the enemy, and the gunboats 
again opened fire. The enemy evidently expected a fight, 
the appearances of which were kept up until night when the 
troops were re-embarked. During the next day similar 
movements were made, accompanied by reconnoissances of 
all the country on both sides of the Yazoo. 

While there, Sherman received Grant's instructions to join 
him at Grand Gulf He dispatched orders for the divisions 
of Steele and Tuttle at once to march to Grand Gulf, via 
Eiclimond, prolonging the " demonstration " until night, and 
then quietly dropped back to the camp at Young's Point. 
During this important and successful operation not a man 
was lost ! 

On the morning of May 2d, the divisions of Steele and 
Tultle were started for Hard Times, reaching that point, 
sixty-three miles distant, at noon on the 6th. Blair's divis- 
ion, was left as a garrison at Milliken's Bend, until relieved 
by troops from Memphis. On the 7th, Steele's and Tuttle's 
divisions had crossed the river, and on the 8th they marched 
eighteen miles to Ilawldnson's Ferry, where the main body 
of the army then was. 

Other feints had been made along the line of the Mobile 
and Ohio railroad, and at other points, for the purpose of 
diverting the attention of the enemy from the main point of 
attack, but that of Sherman was by far the most important. 

Grant now had his army well in hand, and was ready for 
a forward movement. He had secured supplies as far as 
possible, but at the time of making the movement there was 
only an average of five days' rations tc?*be drawn from the 
commissary stores. This was sufficient, as events proved, 
for the campaign was, as it had been intended to be, " short, 
sharp and decisive." Everything was sacrificed to celerity 
of motion and vigor of action, with the view of establishing 
a new base north of Vicksburg. 



OF THE WAR. 405 

On tbe 7tli of May be had moved headquarters to ITawk- 
inson's Ferrj, and ordered an advance. lie had made dem- 
onstrations to induce tbe enemy to believe that he intended 
to move by that route and the one by Hall's Ferry above. 
On the advance, however, it was his intention to hug the 
Black river as closely as possible with McClernand's and 
Sberman's corps, and get them to the railroad at some place 
between Edward's Station and Bolton. McPherson was to 
move by way of Utica to Eaymond, and thence to Jackson. 

Before the advance was made, the following congratula- 
tory order was issued and read to the troops : 

" Headquarters Army of the Tennessee, in the Field, 
Hawkinson's Ferey, May 7th. 
*' Soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee : 

" Onco more I tliank you for adding another victory to the leng 
list of those previously won by your valor and endurance. The tri- 
umph gained over the enemy, near 'Port Gibson, on the 1st, was one 
of the most important of the war. Tlie capture of five cannon and 
more than one thousand prisoners, the possession of Grand Gulf, and 
a firm foothold on the highlands between the Big Black and Bayou 
Pierre, from whence we threaten the whole line of tbe enemy, are 
among the fruits of this brilliant achievement.' 

" The march from Milliken's Bend to , the point opposite Grand 
Gulf was made in stormy weather, over the worst of roads. Bridges 
and ferries had to be constructed. Moving by night as well as by 
day, with labor incessant, and extraordinary privations endured by 
men and officers, such as have been rarely paralleled in any campaign, 
not a murmur of complaint has been uttered. A few days' continu- 
ance of the same zeal and constancy will secure to this army crown- 
ing victones over the rebellion. 

" More difi'iculties and privations are before us ; let us endure them 
manfully. Other battles are to be fought ; let us fight them bravely. 
A grateful country will rejoice at our success, and history will record 
it with immortal honor. 

" U. S. GRANT, Major-General Commanding." 

The General did not exaggerate the importance of the 
achievement of his army, nor the valor and endurance of the 
men who composed it. All were officially recognized by 
Governor Pettus, of Mississippi, who, in a proclamation 
dated May 6th, called the people of the State to arms, en 



406 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

masse, to repel the " invaders." Ten daj^s after this procla- 
mation was issued, the Union forces were in possession of" 
the capital of Mississippi. 

The following extract is a succinct account of the manner 
of the advance : 

•'On Thursday, the 7th of Maj', McPherson, commanding the 17th 
Corps, moved his troops to Rocky Springs, and his cump was occu- 
pied next day by SUerman, ^vith the loth Corps. On Saturday, the 
9th, McPherson again moved to the eastward, to the village of Utica, 
crossing the road occupied by the 13th Corps, under McClernand, and 
leaving the hitter on his left. On Sunday morning, tiie 10th, McCler- 
nand marched to Five Mile creek, and encamped on the south bank 
at noon, on account of broken bridges, which were repaired the same 
day. On Monday morning, the 11th, Sherman's corps came up. passed 
McClernand, and encamped that night at the village of Auburn, 
about ten miles south of Edwards' Station, which is on a portion of 
the railroad from Vicksburg to Jackson. As soon as it passed, JIc- 
Clernaud's corps followed a few miles, then took a road going ob- 
liquely to the left, leading to Hall's Ferry, on the Big Black river. 
Thus, on Monday morning, May 11th, McClernand was at Hall's 
Ferry ; Sherman was at Auburn, six or eight miles to the northeast; 
and McPherson was about eight miles still further to the northeast, a 
few miles north of Utica. The whole formed an immense line of bat- 
tle ; Sherman's corps being in th.c centre, with those of McPherson 
and McClernand forming the right and left wings. It will be ob- 
served, also, that a change of front liad been effected. From Grand 
Gulf the army marched eastward ; but by these last movements it had 
swung on the left as a pivot, and fronted nearly northward." 

The advance of McClernand and Sherman met the ene- 
my, on the 12th, at Fourteen Mile creek. Considerable 
skirmishing followed ere tliey succeeded in effecting a cross- 
ing. On the same day, Logan's division, of McPhei'son's 
corps, came upon the rebel troops, two brigades strong, at 
Fondern's creek, near Kaymond. They were strongly posted, 
being almost wholly concealed by the woods bordering the 
stream, with their artillery on an eminence. The Union 
troops were obliged to cross an open field, under a terrific 
fire, after an obstinate contest of three hours. ^fcPhcrson's 
corps drove the enemy, with heavy loss in killed, wounded 
and prisoners, his principal column taking the road to Jack- 



OF THE WAR. 407 

son. Many of the rebels threw down their arms and de- 
serted. The Union loss at the battle of Eajmond was four 
hundred and forty-two, in killed, wounded and missing. 

At this time Gi'ant was with Sherman's corps, at about the 
centre of the army. On the 11th, he had dispatched to Gen- 
eral Ilalleck, at Washington, that he should communicate luith 
Grand Gulf no more, unless it should become necessary to 
Bend a train with a heavy escort, and that he might not he 
heard from again for several days. 

On the night of the 12th of May, after orders had been, 
given for the corps of McClernand and Sherman to march 
toward the railroad by parallel roads, the order was changed, 
and both were directed to move in the direction of Kay- 
mond. This was in consequence of the enemy having re- 
treated toward Jackson after his defeat at Eaymond, and of 
information that re- enforcements were daily arriving at Jack- 
son, and that General Joseph E. Johnston was hourly ex- 
pected there to take command in person. General Grant, 
th€refore determined to make sure of Jackson, and leave no 
enemy in his rear. 

On the 13th, McPherson's corps moved to Clinton, de 
Btroyed the railroad and telegraph, and captured some im 
portant rebel dispatches. It then moved on toward Jackson 
along the railroad. Sherman marched in a parallel column 
by the turnpike. McClernand's corps garrisoned Clinton 
Mississippi Springs and Raymond, and, together with Blair's 
division and a brigade of McArtlmr's, was held as a reserve. 

Over miry roads, and through torrents of rain, but in ex- 
c<;llent order and in the best of spirits, Sherman's and Mc- 
Pherson's forces marched on, and met the enemy, under 
General Johnston, at noon of the 14th, three miles from 
Jackson. Johnston, finding himself unable to hold the city, 
had marched out, with the view of delaying the advance 
and gaining time to remove the public property. The bulk 
of his force engaged McPherson, on the Clinton road, and a 
small body of artillery and infantry opposed Sherman. The 
latter were soon driven within their rifle-pits-; but McPherson 



408 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

was held at bay on tbe Clinton road, until Sberman flanked 
the enemy on the right, when the rebels were found to have 
retreated. Their infantry had escaped to the north by the 
Clinton road ; but about two hundred and fifty prisoners, 
with all their artillery (eighteen guns) and much ammunition 
and valuable stores, fell into the hands of the victors. The 
total Union loss in killed, wounded and missing, was two 
hundred and eigtty-six. 

Grant, always with the advance, moved his headquarters 
into Jackson. Ilis brief dispatch, announcing the capture 
of the city, was dated May 15th, 1863. During the evening 
of the 14th, he learned that General Johnston, being satisfied 
that Jackson was Grant s point of attack, had ordered Gen- 
eral Pemberton peremptorily to march from Yicksburg and 
attack the Federal rear. Availing himself of this informa- 
tion, Grant immediately ordered McClernand's corps, and 
Blair's division of Sherman's, to face about and march to- 
ward Bolton, with a view to reaching Edwards' Station, 
moving on different roads converging near Bolton, while 
McPherson's corps was ordered back by the Clinton road. 

Sherman, with the remainder 'of his corps, was left in 
Jackson to destroy railroads, bridges, factories, arsenals, and 
everything vauable for the support of the enemy. This was 
accomplished in the most complete manner, so that Jackson, 
as a railroad centre or Government depot of stores and mili- 
tary factories, couhl be ot little use to the enemy for six 
months. Besides the rebel Government buildings, the peni- 
tentiary was burned, probably by the convicts who had been 
set free by the rebel authorities ; while other buildings were 
destroyeti by mischievous soldiers, who could not be de- 
tected. The railroads were ruined for four miles east of 
Jackson, three south, three north, and ten west. 

On the rfternoon of the 15th, Grant fallowed the advance 
as fiir west ns Clinton, where he arrived in the evening, or- 
dering McClernand to move early the next morning toward 
El wards' Station, marching so far as to feel the enemy, if ho 
co-u'intered him, but not to bring'on a general engagement 



OF THE WAR. 409 

unless confident that he was able to defeat him. Blair's di- 
vision was ordered to accompany McClernand. On the 
morning of the 16th, Grant received information of the po- 
sitions taken by the enemy for the purpose of attacking our 
rear, and learned that his force was estimated at twenty-five 
thousand men, with ten batteries of artillery. The General 
immediately dispatched to Sherman to bring np his entire 
force to Bolton. Sherman's advance division was in motion 
witJiin an hour from the time when the dispatch was re- 
ceived ! 

The advance, as arranged by Grant and McClernand, was 
as follows: Extreme left, Smith, supported by Blair; on the 
right of Smith, Osterhaus, supported by Carr; Hovey in the 
centre, with McPherson"'s corps on the extreme right, and 
Crocker on the reserve. Eiinsom's brigade arrived early in 
the fight, and took up a position as a reserve behind Carr. 
Grant was on the field at an early hour, and personally super- 
intended the advance and the disposition of his host The 
enemy had taken np a very strong portion on a narrow 
ridge, his left resting on a height where the road made a sharp 
turn to the left approaching Vieksburg, Hovey 's division 
was disposed for the attack, and McPherson"'s two divisions 
were thrown toward the enemy's rear; but the General 
would not permit an attack to be ma<ie until he could hear 
from McClernand, who was then advancing with four divis- 
ions, lie soon learned that McClernand, by the nearest 
practicable route, was two and a half miles distant ; but, near 
as he was, he did not arrive until the enemy had been driven 
from the field with a heavy loss of killed, wounded and 
prisoners, and a number of artillery — so furious was the 
Federal assault 

The battle of Champion's Ilill, or Baker's Creek, was fairly 
commenced at eleven o'clock in the morning, and was fought 
mainly by Ilovey's division of ^^cClernand's corps, and Lo- 
gan s and Crocker's divisions of McPherson's corps. Logan 
had penetrated nearly to the enemy's rear, and compelled his 

retreat Proceeding to the front, General Grant discoveied 
52 



410 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

that the enemy was retreating, and orJered the divisions of 
Can* and Osterhaus in pursuit Carr continued the pursuit 
until dark, capturing a train of cars loaded with commissary 
and ordnance stores and other property. At Edwards' Sta- 
tion ihe retreating rebels destroyed large quantities of similar 
stores. Besides the prisoners captured, Loring's division of 
the enemy, and much of his artillery was cut oif. 

Such was the battle of Champion's Ilill, which, as General 

Grant justly concluded, virtually decided the late of Vicks- 

burg. The rebels were repulsed with terrible slaughtei", and 

' e Union loss was also great, amounting to a total of one 

• ousand four hundred and fifty-seven men. 

The pursuit, which had been discontinued at night was 
renewed at daylight the next morning, the veteran 13th Coi'ps 
in the advance. The enemy was found strongly pcsted on 
both sides of Black river. At this point the bluffs extended 
to the water's edge on the west side. On the east side was 
an open, cultivated bottom of nearly one mile in width, sur- 
rounded by a bayou of stagnant water, from two to three 
feet in depth, and from ten to twenty feet in width. Follow- 
ing the inside line of the bayou, the enemy had constructed 
rifle-pits, with the bayou to serve as a ditch on the outside 
and immediately in front ot them. Carr's division occupied 
the right in investing this place, Lawler's brigade being the 
right division. After a few hours' skirmishing, Lawler dis- 
covered that, by moving a portion of his brigade under cover 
of the river-bank, he could get a position from which that 
place could be successfully assaulted, and a charge was or- 
dered. Over the level ground, under a fearful fire, went the 
glorious Western boys. Wading the bayou, they delivered 
their fire, and rushed upon the enemy with fixed bayonets. 
The posiiion was won. The enemy burned the railroad 
bridge and his bridge of boats, leaving no means of escape 
for those on the east side. The results of this victory were 
three thousand prisonei-s, seventeen pieces of artillery, seve- 
ral thousand stand of arms, and a large supply of corn and 
commissary stores. The Union loss amounted to two. hun- 
dred and seventy-five men. 



OF THE WAR. 411 

After the victory of Champion's Ilill, General Grant dis- 
patched to Sherman, at Bolton, orders to turn his course to 
Bridgeport, on the Big Black, where Blair's division was to 
join him, with the only pontoon train in the army. By noon 
on the 17th, Sherman had reached Bridgeport, where he 
found Blair and the pontoons awaiting him. lie crossed the 
river the same night, started with the break of day, and 
pushed on rapidly. Before ten o'clock the head of the col- 
umn reached the Benton road, commanding the Yazoo, and 
interposing a superior force between the enemy at Vicksburg 
and the fortifications at Haines' Bluff. Here he awaited the 
arrival of Grant. 

He had not long to wait, for soon the chief came up, and 
directed him to operate on the right. McPherson and Mc- 
Clernand, who had constructed floating bridges, and were 
ready to cross that morning, were to operate, the former on 
the centre, and the latter on the left. ■ Sherman pushed for- 
ward to within range of the defenses of Vicksburg, and sent 
Steele's division to the north on the Haines' Bluff road, 
Steele reached the bluffs by dark, getting possession of the 
enemy's outer works, his camps, and many prisoners. The 
next morning, Sherman's right rested on the Mississippi, 
within plain view of our fleets at the mouth of the' Yazoo, 
and at Young's Point. Haines' Bluff had been evacuated, 
and, with its guns and magazine, was taken possession of. 
Communication was immediately opened with the fleet, and 
bridges and roads were made to bring up ammunition and 
provisions from the mouth of the Cliickasaw, to which point' 
supply -boats had been ordered by Grant. 

Thus a near and secure base of supplies was obtained, and 
all fear of short rations disappeared. "Up to that time," said 
Sherman, " our men had literally lived upon the country, 
having lefl Grand Gulf, May 8th, with three days' rations in 
their hrjvresacks, and received little or nothing until after 
our arrival here on the 18th." "Most of my troops,".said 
Grant, " had been marching and fighting battles for twenty 
days, on an average of about five days' rations, drawn from 
the commissary department." . 



4:12 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

McPherson's corps connected with Sherman s left, and Mc- 
Clernand went to the Baldwin s Ferry road. "Bj this dis- 
position," said Grant, "Jhe three army corps covered all the 
ground that their strength would ftdmit of, and by the morn- 
ing of the 19th, the investment of Vicksburg was made as 
complete as could be by the forces under my command." 

The troops being all in position, General Grant, relying 
upon the demoralization of the enemy in consequence of re- 
peated defeats, ordered an assault at two. P. M., on the 19th 
of May. It was made accordinglj'', Sherman's corps being 
enabled to make a vigorous though ineffectual attempt to 
carry the lines on the front. McPherson and McClernand 
gained advanced positions, covered from the fire of the enemy. 

The next two days were spent in perfecting communica- 
tions, and in bringing up supplies. On the 2ist, orders were 
issued for a general assault on the whole line, to commence 
at ten o'clock in the morning of the 22d. Grant's reasons 
for assaulting are clearly and briefly set forth in his official 
report, as follows : 

"There were many reasons to determine me to adopt this course. I 
believed an assault from the position gained by this time could be 
made successfully. It was known that Johnston was at Canton, with 
the force taken by him from Jackson, re-enforced by other troops 
from the east, and that more were daily reaching him. With the force 
I had, a short time must have enabled him to attack me in the rear, 
and possibly succeed in raising the siege. Possession of Vicksburg 
at that time, would have enabled me to turn ujjon Johnston, and drive 
him from the State, and possess myself of all the railroads and practi- 
cal military highways, thus eflfectually securing to ourselves all terri- 
tory west of the Tombigbec, and this before the season was too far 
advanced for campaigning in this latitude. I would have saved Gov- 
ernment sending large re-enforcements, much needed elsewhere ; and 
finally, the troops themselves were impatient to possess Vicksburg, 
and would not have worked in the trenches with the same zeal (be- 
lieving it unnecessary), that they did after their failure to carry the 
enemy's works." 

Tilie corps commanders set their time by that of General 
Grant, and precisely at the hour named, the assault com- 
menced along the whole line. The artillery fire was tremen- 



OF THE "WAR. 413 

dotis, find played havoc with the enemy's works, silencing his 
guns for the time. Slowly, and with perfect composure, not 
under fire, but momemtarily expecting it, the gallarit men 
moved up the hills, and through the almost impassable ra- 
vines. They approached to within forty yards of the works, 
when suddenly, from every parapet, uprose a double rank 
of the enemy, who poured into the heads of the columns 
such a territic fire, that nothing mortal could withstand it. 
Again and again the brave but unavailing efforts were made, 
and flags were planted in a few places on the exterior slope 
of the works; but this was the only success, and before night 
all the troops were withdrawn. 

"• The assault," says General Grant, " was gallant in the extreme on 
the part of all the troops, but the enemy's position was too strong, 
both naturally and artificially, to be taken in that way. At every 
point assaulted, and at all of them at the same time, the enemy was 
able to show all the force his works could cover. The assault failed, 
I regret to say, with much loss on our side in killed and wounded ; 
but without weakening the confidence of the troops in their ability 
ultimately to succeed." Says Sherman : " These several assaults, 
made simultaneously, demonstrated the strength of the natural and 
artificial defenses of Vicksburg, that they are garrisoned by a strong 
force, and that we must resort to regular approaches." 

It may as well be stated here, that our troops were proba- 
bly, at that time, considerably outnumbered by the rebels 
witliin the defenses of Vicksburg. At the time of the iiv 
vestment our army numbered not over thirty thousand, of 
whom not over twenty thousand were fit for duty. Still, 
the rebels did not dare to issue from their works, and, al- 
though behind formidable intrenchments, were kept nearly 
silent. 

Admiral Porter, with the gunboat fleet, ably co-operated 
with Grant in the assault, having been requested by him to 
shell the batteries, and annoy tlie garrison, from halfpast 
nine until half-past ten. This was done; the hill batteries 
were silenced, the Vicksburg batteries attacked, and the gun- 
boats were fighting, even after the assault had proved un- 
successful. 



414 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

General Grant then determined upon a regular siege, and 
the troops, being full}" awake to the necessity of this, worked 
diligently and cheerfully. 

Grant brought forward during the siege, in addition to 
Lauman's division and four regiments previously ordered 
from Memphis, Smiih's and Kimball's' divisions of the 16th 
Corps, and assigned Major-General C. C. Washburn to com- 
mand the same; also General Ilerron's division from the De- 
partment of the Missouri, and two divisions of tiie 9th Corps, 
Major-General J. G. Parke commanding. These re-enforce- 
ments enabled him to make the investment complete, and, 
at the same time, left him a large reserve to watch the move- 
ments of Johnston. Ilerron held the extreme left, with Ord, 
then in command of the 13th Corps, on his right; McPher- 
Bon was in the centre ; Sherman's corps held the extreme 
right, and Blair's division held Haines' Bluff and the coun- 
try between the Yazoo and Big Black rivers. 

The siege, thus conimenced, was vigorously prosecuted. 
Says an account; 

" Fort Avas erected against fort, and trench dug against trench. 
The enemy had seized tlie most eligible sites for their guns, yet our 
batteries were soon enabled to drive them back, and even to build 
under the eyes of the enemy. Our sappers constructed their corri- 
dors, and passages, and i^its, amid a blazing fire of hostile musketry, 
and in the fiercest rays of the summer sun, with a fortitude which has 
no parallel in history, and is equaled only by that of the Vicksburg 
garrison. Day after day — forty-six in all — did this process continue, 
one-half of our force digging, while the other i)icked off the rebels 
who were trying to hinder them. In this way were we enabled to 
sap the very foundations of their works, their cannon were silenced, 
their sharjjsliooters taking only a furtive chance shot, and now and 
then a mortar shcl at long range. The health and spirits of the men 
improved. Our camps were right on the hills around the city. The 
advantage of sliade was with us, though the fighting and digging 
was almost all done in the sun.'' 

Admiral Porter co-operated heartily and vigorously with 
the army in aJl the operations for the reduction of the place. 
His gunboats were constantly below the city, shelling the 
works, and the mortarboats were at work forty-two days, 



OF THE WAR. 415 

without intermission, throwing shells into all parts of tho 
city, even reaching the works in the rear of Vicksburg, and 
in front of our troops, a distance of three miles ! He also 
supplied the army with a large amount of artillery and ord- 
nance, and prevented the depredations of guerrillas between 
Cairo and Vicksburo;, 

Every precaution was taken during the siege to guard 
against an attack in the rear. Sherman was placed in com- 
mand of all the troops designated to look after Johnston. 
The division (^f Osterhaus was sent to the Big Black to 
guard the crossings and repel any attack. A i-econnoissance 
was also sent out under Blair, which reported no enemy 
within striking distance. Everything indicated, however, 
tliat Johnston would make an attack about the 25th of 
June. Grant wns prepared to receive him. The following 
note to General Parke, sho\vs the reception the rebel chief 
would have met if he had made this attempt : "^t 

"June 23, 18G3. ;,1 

*' Genekal Parke : Slicrman goes out from lierc Avith fi^x l^rig- 
acles, and Ostcrliaus' division sulycct to Iiis orders besides. In addi- 
tion to tliis, another division, five thousand strong, is notified to be 
in readiness to move on notice. In addition to this, I can spare still 
another division, six thousand strong, if tlicy should bo required. 
We want to whip Johnston at least fifteen miles ofif, if possiljle. 

U. S. GRANT, Major-General.'' 

The sapping and mining progressed rapidly until the 25th 
of June, when one of the mines was reedy to be sprung. A 
sufficient number of experienced miners, for these opera- 
tions, had been found within the ranks of the army. The 
enemy, on their side, kept running counter-saps, so as to 
meet and cross those of the Union laborers, and, in two or 
three instances, only a thin wall of earth separated the com- 
batants. The object of these mining operations was to break 
into and seize upon the prominent points of the enemy's 
line of fortifications, and thereby force them back by degrees 
to the river. 

The mine under what was supposed to be the principal 
fort of the enemy was exploded on the afternoon of the 25th 



416 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

of June. The explosion was ternfic — the fort and every- 
thing connected with it being blown a hundred feet into the 
air, and scattered around in all directions. Immediately the 
batteries along the whole line, with the mortar and gunboat 
fleet, opened upon the enem}-, who replied vigorously. As 
soon as the explosion had taken place, Leggeti's brigade, of 
McPherson's corps, rushed into tlie sap and fcjrt, and, after a 
severe contest of half an hour, the flag of the Forty-fifth 
Illinois regiment appeared on the summit of the work. 
When ihe fort was gained the pioneer corps mounted it, and 
commenced throwing up entrenchments and preparing to 
mount artillery The following is one of the orders of Gen- 
eral Grant that followed this success : 

" June 25, 1863. 
" Genekal Okd : McPberson occupies tlic crater made by the ex- 
plosion. He will have guns in battery there by morning. He has 
been hard at work running rifle-pits right, and tljiuks he will hold all 
gained. Keep Smith's division sleeping under arms to-night, ready 
for an emergency. Their services maybe required, particularly about 
daylight. There should be the greatest vigilance along the -whole 
line." 

After the explosion of the mine, the work of constructing 
parallels was resumed. As the Union lines advanced, the 
rebels retired, constructing inner lines of defense as the outer 
ones were taken. On the 28th of June the Union lines were 
thirteen hundred yards nearer to the city than -the original 
works. The rebels were thus gradually but surely hemmed 
in, and pushed toward the river. 

Though the result of these operations must inevitably 
have been a surrender, it was known that the Vicksburg gar- 
rison had another enemy to contend with — exhaustion. It 
was soon evident that they were short of provisions, and 
must, in the end, be starved into surrender. The work upon 
the mines was then relaxed, a sufficient demonstration being 
kept up with artillery and musketry to annoy the enemy. 
The pear was ripe, and Grant only waited for it to drop into 
his hands. It was afterward learned that the garrison of 
Vicksburg were reduced to the offal and dregs of their com- 



OF THE Vv' A n . 417 

missaries. Mule meat, tliongb not eaten as a ncccssit}'-, had 
become preferable to their pickhd beef. They had no pork 
or flour, aud but a limited supijly of unground corn. Their 
ammunition v;as nearly exhausted, and only teu percussion 
cap? to the man were found iu their pouclies. The result 
was inevitable. , 

Up to the morning of the od of July, there was unusual 
quiet, and all had become so impressed with the belief that 
a surrender must soon take place, that the men on both sides 
were chatting in a friendly way from their intrench ments. 
At eight o'clock on that morning, a flag of truce came out 
from the rebel Hues with a communication for General Grant, 
borne by General Bowen and Colonel ^lontgomery. It 
proved to be a proposition for an armistice, with a view to 
arranging terms of capitulation. General Grant promptly 
replied that his only terms were an unconditional surrender 
of the city and garrison. General Bowen requested that 
General Grant would meet General Pemberton to consult 
concerning terms. To this General Grant readily agreed, 
and three o'clock in the afternoon was fixed upon for the 
meeting. 

There was a brief renewal of hostilities, another cessation 
of firing, and, at the appointed hour, the two Generals met 
in front of General Burbridge's line, where they sat in close 
conversation for an hour and a half Both seemed cool and 
indifferent. Grant smoking, as usual, and Pemberton |)icking 
straws and biting them. The conference broke up without 
any definite decision. In the evening, General Grant sent 
in a proposal, which was not replied to until daybreak the 
next morning, when Pemberton requested modifications of 
the terms offered. General Grant then sent his final note, 
agreeing to certain of the modifications, and General Pern- 
berton promptly forwarded his acceptance of the terms pro- 
posed. Thus, at ten o'clock on the morning of the 4111 of 
July, 1863, Yicksburg had surrendered, and the Mississippi 
valley was redeemed. 

The terms agreed upon were that each brigade should 
54 



418 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

march to tl:e front of tbc lines occupied by it, stack arms, 
and ilicn return to tbe inside to remain as prisoners of war 
until pi-operly paroled. OITicers were allowed to retain tlieir 
private baggage and side arms, and mounted officers one 
horse e;icli. The rank and file were to be allowed their 
clothing, but no other property. Necessary rations might be 
taken from the rebel stores (there i^roved to be no rebel 
stores), and thirty wagons were allowed them. 

These terms were given as acts of magnanimity to a brave 
foe, and were further justifiable on grounds of expediency. 
They i-id the Government of a large and expensive load of 
prisoners, whom it would have had to feed, clothe and trans- 
port a great distance, ut ari enormous expense. Besides, 
General Grant was thus left free to follow up his advantage. 

According to the terms, on the morning of the 4th the 
rebel troops quietly stacked their arms in front of their lines, 
and General Logan was ordered to march in his division as 
a provost guard. The formal entry was made at one o'clock 
in the afternoon. Within four hours of the surrender, the 
levee was lined with steamers as far as the eye could reach. 

The value of the capture of Vicksburg can hardly be over- 
estimated. Besides the other aspects of the result, it caused 
a loss to the rebels of about thirty-four thousand men, includ- 
ing onc^ Lieutenant-General and nineteen ^lajor and Brigadier 
Genei'als, tvv'o hundred and thirteen pieces of artillery, thirty- 
five thousand small-arms, and an immense amount of ord- 
nance, and other matter. The immediate effect of the capture 
was the surrender of Port Iludson, Ln. General Frank 
Gardner, commanding that post, hearing of 4he surrender of 
Vicksburg, inquired of General Banks concerning the truth 
of the report, on the 7th of July. General Banks replied by 
inclosing the official dispatch of General Grant, announcing 
the fall of Vicksburg. The next day the important position 
of Port Iludson, with its garrison of over five thousand five 
hundred men, and all its stores, arms and munitions of war, 
was surrendered to the forces of the United States, The 
Mississippi was opened, and commerce was again resumed, j 



OF THE WAR. 419 

The President sent an autograph letter to General Grant, 
thanking him for " the almost inestimable service ' he had 
done the country. His position, as the first General of the 
Union, was thenceforth established. The nation i-ejoiccd at 
the splendid victory, and all loyal hearts united in honoi'ing 
the heroes by whom it had been gained. The names of Sher- 
man, McClernand, Logan, McPherson, Ord, became house- 
hold words, and their noble assistants were placed upon the 
roll of the nation's most worthy sons. 



XXXIX. 

Sherman's march through Georgia. • 

If Grant's Vicksburg campaign was one of the most re- 
markable of the war, Sherman's march through Georgia stands 
on record as one of the most extraordinary performances in 
military history. Viewed in all its aspects the campaign 
against Atlanta was one of great skill, daring, and excessive 
labor. Its marches and counter-marches — its feints, and its 
sudden combinations for attacks in force — its incessant and 
mastei'ly movements by the flank — all illustrated, in an emi- 
nent degree, Sherman's capacity for command, his fertility 
of resources, his tenacity, and his almost reckless daring. 
Once in Atlanta his work seemed done, for where would he 
go from thence? Indeed, how could he tarry there, in view 
of its great distance from supplies ? 

Stung by Johnston's defeats and incessant circumvention 
by Sherman, Davis relieved him from command and placed 
Hood at the head of the rebel army ia Northern Georgia, 
with orders to strike for Nashville, rmd thus, by a counter 
movement, compel Sherman to withdraw from Georgia to 
defend Tennessee. Hood thereupon made the reouired dem- 



420 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

onstration, but, equally astonishing to the rebels and to the 
North, Sherman did not give himself mueh concern regard- 
ing the enemy's advance. He rendezvoused in Atlanta, re- 
cuperating, reorganizing — for what? None knew, not even 
his vigilant enemy, for none conceived possible the scheme 
•which was in the Ohio General's fertile brain. 

Detaching Thomas with the 4th Corps, General Stanley, 
and the 23d Corps, General Schofield, with orders to "take 
care of llood," Sherman gathered all his remaining forces in 
Atlanta from November -ith to the 12th. There it was pre- 
pared for the work in hand — a march from Atlanta to the 
sea coast, at Savannah, through the very heart of the South- 
ern Confederacy. Dividing the army of invasion into two 
sections, and reorganizing the cavalry arm under Kilpatrick, 
the troops were ready by the 12th of January for the grand 
crusade. The trains were alarmingly small — each officer be- 
ing reduced to a meagre outfit for speed and safety, and each 
regiment to only what was necessary for camp necessities. 
As to food for man and beast — that was to come from the 
country; for one special object of the expedition was to de- 
stroy, thus the more effectually to crush out the spirit and 
material support of the rebellion. The right wing of the 
march, the old "Army of the Tennessee" — comprising the 
15th Corps, General Osterhaus, and 17th Corps, General 
Frank P. Blair — was under command of General Howard ; 
the left wing — comjDrising the 14th Corps, General Jeff. C. 
Davis, and 20th Corps, General Williams — was commanded 
by General Slocum ; the cavalry corps was under the irre- 
sistible KilJpatrick. 

The marching orders provided that each corps should 
move by different roads, as nearly parallel as possible, con- 
verging at points to be subsequently indicated. The orders 
also provided that each column should start habitually at 
seven a. m. each day, and make an average march of fifteen 
miles per day, " unless otherwise fixed in orders." Foraging 
on the country was provided for by the organization of a reg- 
ular foraging painty for each brigade, and commanders were 



OF THE WAR. 421 

instructed to keep, in their wagons, at least a ten days' sup- 
ply of provisions and three clays' forage. Another para- 
graph of the marching orders intrusted to corps commanders 
the destruction of mills, houses, cotton-gins, etc. It was fur- 
ther provided that in districts and neighborhoods where the 
army was unmolested, thei-e should be no destruction of 
property ; but whei'e the roads were obstructed, bridges 
burned, or the army annoyed by bushwhackers and guerril- 
las, corps commanders were instructed to " enforce a degree 
of devastation more or less relentless, according to the meas- 
ure of such hostilit3%" It will be seen from the incidents of. 
the march which will follow, that this order was no idle 
threat, and it will also be seen that its chief effect was not 
in causing a severe degree of devastation, but in preventing 
the causes which would have rendered the enforcement of 
the order necessary. 

Thus constituted and ordered, the army of the Union 
started on its mission to crush disunion. From the excellent 
account prepared for the New York Times^ by its correspond- 
ents who accompanied the expedition, we draw this explicit 
and very interesting narrative : 

ATLANTA EVACUATED. 

On the 12tli of November, tlie riglit wing, under General Howard, 
moved out from Atlanta, and began its march. On the 14th, the left 
wing, under General Slocum, took up its route, and on that day Gen- 
eral Sherman and staff, with a strong body-guard, bade adieu to the 
stronghold he had conquered and reduced, and took the road leading 
to IMacon. " Let him go North," said he, of Hood ; " our business is 
down South." The fortifications of Atlanta had been completely 
dismantled and destroyed. The public buildings, railroad depots, 
etc., were burned. No private dwellings were intentionally destroyed. 
Some had been ruined by military occupation, and a few were una- 
voidably destroyed by the communication of the flames from buildings 
necessarily burned. The evidence of the rebels themselves has since 
appeared to show that though Atlanta has been besieged, captured 
and depopulated, there was no heartless or unavoidable destruction 
of private property, such as the enemy have delighted to charge uj^on 
General Sherman. Thus abandoned, the " Gate City" was left in the 



422 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

rear of our army, wliosc face was now seaward, and tlic hand of time, 
•\vitli a liiglicr degree of civilization, can only effiicc the marks inflicted 
by a warlike occupation. Before the war Atlanta was one of the most 
thriving inhmd cities of the South, and contained twelvcthousand 
inhabitants. 



now THE KEBELS VIEWED THE CAMPAIGN. 

The rebels at Richmond received tlicir first news of Sherman's de- 
parture from Atlanta, from the Nortli, l)ut refused to i)lacc confidence 
in it, "It is a big Yankee lie," said the Richmond Examiner, "and 
if Sherman really has burned Atlanta, it is to cover a retreat norlli- 
"ward, to look after Hood." " But if Sherman is really attempting this 
prodigious design," it continued, " his march w ill only lead him to 
the 'Paradise of Fools,'" As it turns out, this does not prove very 
complimentary to the citizens of Savannah and vicinity. In a few 
days, however, this tone of remark was changed. From an inci'cdu- 
lous view and an attempt to ridicule the movement, their feelings 
changed to an alarm, seriously bordering on panic ; and we were soon 
regaled by startling shrieks from a dozen sources, for somebody to 
"come to the rescue." Beauregard shrieked from Corinth, "I come! 
I come! " Senator Hill shrieked from Richmond, "Georgians, be firm 
and resolute I " The Georgia delegation in the rebel Congress, shriek- 
ed: "Destroy the invader!" . Governor Brown promulgated half a 
dozen proclamations, conscripting the population of the State en 
masse, and then packed up his traps and left Millcdgevillc, with a load 
of cabbages for Macon, leaving, the rebel papers said, three thousand 
stand of arms for Sherman's able-bodied black recruits. "Obstruct 
roads," "Fell trees," "Destroy bridges," "Burn forage," "Remove 
supplies," " Fall upon his rear, his flank, his front ! " shouted every 
body. But nobody did. The more southern papers, those of Augusta, 
Savannah, etc., were alike incredulous with those of Richmond, upon 
the receipt of the first news of Sherman's movement. " It is rumored 
that Atlanta is evacuated," said the Augusta Chronicle, of Nov, 15, 
"and we trust the rumor will prove correct." The same paper, of 
Nov, 18, implored the citizens of Augusta to "look at the situation 
■without nervousness or fear — pray to God, but keep your powder dry 
— meet the storm like men — it's always darkest just before day," 

It is only necessary to follow Sherman s course, to note the precision 
with which he moved, the width of country which he covered, and 
the directness of his march upon his objective point, to realize the im- 
potency of all the shrieks, invocations and proclamations that only 
spoiled so much valuable paper in the Confederacy, 



OFTHEWAR. 423 

THE MAUCII TO MILLEDGEVILLE. 

If our readers will take a county majj of Georgia, (Colton's small 
pocket size,) and trace tlie moveuieuts of Sherman's columns as we 
tjliall deline them, they will see at a glance that Sherman i>asscd 
through the most densely populated, the most fertile, and, in all re- 
epjcts, the richest part of Georgia Georgia is topographically divid- 
ed into tliree general features, so far as her surface is concerned. The 
northern part, comi^rising about one-fifth of the territory of the State, 
is mountainous, rough and thinly populated, growing the cereals, 
furnishing minerals, but producing little cotton. The central section 
is a Ijelt of rich upland country, open and well watered, comprising 
about two-tifclis of tlic territorial surface of the State, and j^roduces 
corn, wiieat and cotton, abundantly. The southern portion of the 
State, comprising the remaining two-fifths of its surface, is mostly a 
low, sandy country, densely timbered with pine forests, sparsely set- 
tled, and divided into large plantations, devoted mainly to the pro- 
duction of cotton, with some corn and rice. Sweet jjotatoes are 
indigenous to the whole State. 

THE HEART OF GEOUGIA. 

It was througli this central and richest part of Georgia that Sliermau 
directed his march. Through it runs two railroads, the only lines 
traversing the State of Georgia, and forming the cliief line of railway 
connection between Virginia and the States of Alabama and Mississip- 
pi. One of these lailroads is the Georgia Central, running from Sa- 
vannali to Macon, 190 miles, thence to Atlanta, by the Macon and 
Wc-itern railroad, 101 miles, making the total distance from Savannah 
to Atlanta by railroad, 291 miles. The other is the Georgia railroad, 
running from Augusta to Atlanta, at from 40 to GO miles north of the 
Georgia Central railroad, and making the distance to Atlanta from 
Augusta, 171 miles. At Millen, on the Georgia Central road, 79 miles 
nortli of Savannah, is the junction of a branch road, called the Waynes- 
boro' railroad, which connects with Augusta, 53 miles distant, and 
makes the distance by rail from Savannah to Augusta, 133 miles. 

THE STRATEGY ON THE START. 

The plan of General Sherman's march contemplated the covering 
of these two lines of railroad, their consequent destruction, and a con- 
centration of his forces at or beyond Milledgeville. With Kilpatrick's 
cavalry force well disposed in front, and vigilantly covering each 
flank, tlic movement aiul route of his infantry columns was so well 
masked that, from first to last, the enemy were in total ignorance of 
the position uf his main body, and only discovered the track of his 



424 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

infantry columns after they had left their vigilant foes many miles ia 
the rear. This was most forcibly demonstrated by the admirable 
strategy -with which Sherman demonstrated against Macon, shutting 
up Cobb's militia — the only force contesting his march — in the forti- 
fications of that city, threatening it by a strong cavalry force, wliilo 
his main body moved on, and left the redoubtable Cobb and his com- 
mand in his rear, 

TUE MOVEMENT OP THE RIGHT WING. 

The right wing moved directly south from Atlanta, Avhich is in 
Fulton county, to Rough and Ready and Jonesboro' stations on tho 
Macon and Western railroad, in Faj^ette county. On Nov. IG one 
column of the right wing jjassed through Jonesboro', 25 miles south 
of Atlanta, Wheeler's cavalry and Cobb's militia retiring upon Griffin. 
Another column of the right wing occupied McDonough, Nov. 17, the 
county seat of Henry count3% some distance east of Jonesboro' and 
about o5 miles southeast of Atlanta. Henry county is one of the 
largest and richest of Georgia, and here our forces found large supplies 
of provisions and forage. On the 16th, Wheeler engaged our cavalry 
at Bear Creek station, ten miles north of Griffin, and telegraphed Gen- 
eral Hardee that he had "checked the Yankee advance." The veiy 
same evening, at G o'clock, his ragged troopers fell back tlirough 
Griffin, in the direction of Barnesvillc, where Cobb's militia had al- 
ready preceded him. Our cavalry occupied Griffin, which is the county 
seat of Spalding county, on the 17th, and on the 18th drove Wheeler 
out of Barnesvirie, in Pike county, and througli Forsyth, the county 
seat of Monroe county, 76 miles south of Atlanta and 25 miles north- 
west of Macon, 

THE FEINT AGAINST MACON, 

This demonstration, though only made by cavalry, completely de- 
ceived Cobb, who put all his force in the entrenchments of tliat place, 
and by military impressment put every male resident in the ranks. 
The right wing moved on from McDonougli on the IGtIi, to Jackson, 
the county seat of Butts county, and thence to Planter's Factory, on 
the Ociimulgec river, which was successfully crossed on the ~Oth, thus 
leaving Macon on our right and rear, distant about twenty-tlvc miles, 

THE CROSSING OP THE OCUMULGEE, ' 

The crossing of the Ocumulgce was uncontested. It was the first 
indication that Sherman would pass by Macon, wliich is in Bibb 
county, witliout an effort to take it. The feint was admiral)ly made 
by our cavalry, Avhich pressed the rebel forces holly from Forsvth» 
and then veering around to the east of Macon, attacked a force of 



OF THE WAR.- 425 

rebels at a point known as East ;Macon, where we captured a battery, 
%vLiclj the rebels claim tliey retook. This was on the 20th, and on 
the same day our cavalry advanced to Griswoldville, eight miles cast 
of Macon, where they captured a lumber train, burned a foundry and 
the chemical works, tore up the railroiid and cut the telegraph. At 
the same time, a part of General Howard's command moved rapidly 
through ]\ronticelIo, the county seat of Jasper county, where the 
court-house was burned, via Ilillsboro', in the southern part of the 
same county, to Clinton, the county seat of Jones county, for the pur- 
pose of striking the Georgia Central railroad at Gordon, the junction 
of the branch road to Jlliliedgeville. Having left Cobb's forces in 
3Iacon, now in his rear, Sherman sent an infantry force to act as rear 
guard at Griswoldville, while he moved toward the Oconee, occupied 
Milled^eville, and destroyed the railroad, 

THE CAPTURE OF MII-LEDGEVILLE. 

General Sherman entered Milledgeville November 21st, having 
made the march from Atlanta in just «even days, with no haste on the 
part of any of his columns, Avarage distance by the routes marched, 
ninety-five miles, , 

A SKIRMISH AT GRISWOLDVILLE, 

On the 22d, the rear guard at Griswoldville was attacked by a force 
of rebels from Macon, under General Phillips, composed of three 
brigades of militia, two regiments of State line troops, and the Au- 
gusta and Athens battalions. The rebel account of the battle says 
that it lasted several hours, and that the gallant Georgia militia 
charged across an open field and drove our troops from their line of 
\vorks. During the night, they saj-, our troops retired — that is, con- 
tinued their advance. As this was but a mere skirmish with the rear 
guard of the right wing, the truth of the rebel claim to success may 
be estimated in the fact that they acknowledge a loss of six hundred 
and fourteen in killed and wounded, and one of their commanders, 
General Anderson, was censured for his reckless exposure of the ten- 
der militia, lie was also severely wounded in the fight. This was 
the most considerable engagement in the whole march. 

THE MOVEMENT OF THE LEFT "WING. 

The left wing, under General Slocum, left Atlanta November 14th, 
moving out by the Decatur road for a short distance and then branch- 
ing off to the right and jiassing through Do Kalb county, by May of 
Flat Rock and Snapping Shoals, to Covington, the county seat of 
Newton county, which point the advance reached on November 17th, 
50 



426 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the cavalry pushing on as far as Social Circle, in Walton county, a 
station on the railroad fifty-two miles east of Atlanta, wliere the rail- 
road buildings were burned. Covington is situated in the midst of a 
very fertile country, and foraging was can-ied on to an extensive de- 
gree. A party from one of the brigades of the 20th Corps, while out 
foraging some distance north of the railroad, at Oxford, were fired 
upon by bushwhackers, and one of their number was killed. Here 
the order for relentless devastation of the- countiy was carried out, 
with a degree of severity which resulted in the clestniction of Emory 
College, at Oxford. It was the property of the Methodist Church, 
had several tine libraries, a mineralogical cabinet, a fine chemical ap- 
paratus, and cost nearly half a million dollars before the war. The 
plantations in this (Newton) county were thoroughly stripped, and 
our troops lived on the fat of the land. They were much suqjrised 
at the richness of the country they passed through. 

THE LINE OP THE GEOKGIA RAILHOAD. 

Prom Covington General Slocum moved directly east to Madison, 
the county seat of Morgan county, his cavalry covering his left flank, 
and destroying the railroad thoroughly. At Madison the railroad 
buildings, the jail, several warehouses, and the market-house were 
burned. From Madison the left wing moved almost due south tipoa 
Eatonton, which is the northern terminus of the Milledgeviile branch 
railway. This jwint was reached November 21st, the same day that 
General Howard's right flank reached Gordon, the southern terminus 
of the same railroad. 

THE COLUMNS UNITE AT MILLEDGEVILLE. 

General Slocum reached Milledgeviile on the 22d, which place 
proved to be a general point of rendezvous for the two wings. The 
object of this proved to be to effect a passage to the Oconee river for 
the right wing, at a point offering less difficulty than existed at the 
crossing of the Georgia Central railroad, twenty iijiles below Mil- 
ledgeviile, and eighteen miles east of Gordon. 

THE OCCUPATION OF MILLEDGEVILLE, 

Our army occupied Milledgeviile three days, from November 31st 
to the 24th, when the rear guard left. General Sherman oceu2>ied the 
executive mansion for his headquarters. Very little property, either 
public or private, was destroyed. The State house was left standing, 
though the rebels declare that it was much mutilated. The suddea 
absquatulation of the rebel Legislature disgusted our troops. The 
members, with Governor Brown, left in great haste on the 18th, some 



OF THE WAR. 427 

for Macon, some for Augusta, and many on foot, there not being Con- 
federate currency enough iu Milledgeville to hire a conveyance. Two 
members jjaid one thousand dolhxrs to be carried a distance of eight 
miles. Governor Bro{\-n took the public funds, the public archives, 
Lis private carriage, and his " garden sass," (so said the Savannah 
JiepitlUcan), and fled to Macon, ■wliere he opened headquarters in the 
city hall, and issued a proclamation. He left three thousand mus- 
kets and several thousand jjounds of powder belonging to the State 
of Georgia, which our troops destroyed. Some of our troops perjje- 
trated a very handsome travestic upon the jiroceedings of the fleeing 
Legislature. They met at the State-house, elected a Sj^caker and a 
Clerk, and were introducing bills and resolutions at a furious rate, 
when a courier rushed in, breathless Vihh haste, and shouted "the 
Yankees are coming !" whereupon the members dispersed in the most 
panic-stricken manner, causing an immense deal of amusement. 

Milledgeville Avas pretty thoroughly stripped of provisions, as the 
main jjorlion of the army encamped in that vicinity for three daj-s^ 
Every horse and mule that could be found were taken, and the rebels 
said there was no use in hiding any thing, for " the Yankees would be 
sure to And it." The exhortations of the rebel papers, politicians and 
others who had nothing to lose, to burn and destroy supplies, had no 
eflfect. Everybody waited to sec his neighbor begin, and entertained 
the hope that he, at least, might possibly escape without loss. On 
November 25th, the mayor of IVIillcdgeviile sent l)y courier to Macon 
a dis2)atch begging the people there to send the citizens of Milledge- 
ville meat and provisions, as they were utterly destitute. 

THE CONDUCT OF OUU TEOOPS. 

Of the conduct of our troops on the march and at Milledgeville 
the rebel accounts widely differ. ]\Iany assert that the men were un- 
der strict discipline, and respected persons and i)rivate dwellings 
Of course, foraging being allowed under general orders, everything 
eatalle was taken by the soldiers. But several valiant rebels, who ran 
away from home, when they returned wrote ferocious letters to the 
rebel papers, detailing witli an attempt at particulars, several alleged 
outrages upon ladies. Indeed, one of these wi iters, who said his 
blood ran cold, as he tried to "jf?;-e the Southern heart,"' asserted that 
our men "ravished some of the nicest ladies of Milledgeville." Of 
course, there is little truth in any such statements, and that little may 
be aptly illustrated from Don Juan : 

"Also the voices of some middle-aged 

Were heard to murmur 'mid the dreadful din, 

(Virgins of fifty were these birds long caged), 
Wherefore the ravishinic did not be-jrin !" 



428 INCIDEXTS AND ANECDOTES 

Sherman's army consumed just one week in moving from Atlanta 
to Milleclgevillc, the average distance being ninety-five miles. The 
movement -was deliberate, and fully up to the marching orders. The 
only resistance met with was that on the right flank of Howard's 
column, where Cobb and Wheeler were steadily pushed back by Kil- 
patrick. General Slocum's column was unresisted, and even unmo- 
lested save by an occasional guerrilla, and the retaliation against the 
citizens in such cases was very severe. 

THE MAKCII TO MILLEN — THE CKOSSING OF THE OCONEE. 

The army left Milledgeville Nov. 24th, en route to Milieu, through 
which jjlace it passed on the evening of Dec. 2d, camping in the vi- 
cinity. The distance from Milledgeville to Millen, the way Sherman 
marched, is about seventy-four miles, and the distance was accom- 
plished in eight days. The main body crossed the Oconee at Mil- 
ledgeville, destroying the bridge over that river, and the railroad 
bridge over Fisher's creek, south of the city. A large force of cav- 
alry demonstrated at the Central railroad bridge over the Oconee, 
twenty-five miles southeast of ]\Iilledgeville, which was defended in 
earthworks by the rebel General Wayne, who commanded an im- 
provised brigade of stragglers and militia which had been picked up 
between Milledgeville and Augusta. This road here runs for several 
miles through a swamp, which borders the west bank of the Oconee. 
Wheeler, who had been left in the rear of IMacon, took a swift circuit 
southward, through Twiggs, AVilkinsou and Laurens counties, and 
crossed the Oconee to Wayne's assistance at Buckeye Bridge, eighteen 
miles below the railroad bridge. But this availed nothing, for How- 
ard's column, in moving upon Sandersville, in Washington county, 
marched down the cast bank of vhc Oconee, and Wayne hearing of 
it, imagined he was flanked, and on the 25th retired in precipitate 
haste to Davisboro', an<l thence in the direction of Louisville, the 
county seat of JefTerson county. The adTance of Howard's column 
reached Sandersville Nevcmber 2Gth. The railroad was cut again, 
and the depot burned, at Tenuillo Station, immediately south of San- 
clersvillc. 

THE LEFT WING ACROSS THE OCONEE, 

General Slocum's column crossed the Oconee simultaneously with 
the right wing, but bore to the northward in its march, aiming for 
Sparta, a flourishing village, and the county seat of Hancock county. 
On the evening of the 24th, General Slocum's advance encamped at 
Devereaux, seven miles west of Sparta, and the cavalry scoured the 
whole country, one of the most fertile and thickly settled in the whole 



OFTHEWAR. 429 

State, and vast quantities of forage and provisions, many horses and 
mules were obtained, and much cotton burned. The Georgia railroad, 
on General Slocum's left flank, was not neglected. "While the army 
lay at Milledgeville, a portion of the cavalry force were roaming unre- 
sisted through Mcn-gan, Greene and Putnam counties, striking tho 
railroad repeatedly, burning the bridge over the Oconee at Blue Spring, 
and the buildings at Buckhcad in Morgan county, Greensboro' ia 
Greene county, and Crawfordsville in Taliaferro county. 

ALARM IN AUGUSTA AT SHEUMAN'S POSITIVE APPROACn 

"When it was demonstrated to a certainty that Sherman was east of 
the Oconee, the rebels in Savannah and Augusta became greatly 
frightened. Up to thyt time many of them were consoled with the 
idea that, after all, Sherman was only on a great raid into the heart 
of the State, or would yet turn and move westward upon Columbus, 
Montgomery and Mobile. But such hopes were disiDelled when his 
cavalry were discovered in "Washington and Hancock counties. At 
Augusta, then deemed the object of Sherman's march, i:)reparations 
for defense went on vigorously. Bragg was summoned from "Wilming- 
t(m, and came, the Augusta papers said, with ten thousand men. 
Troops came from Charleston, Hampton's cavalry came from Virginia, 
and the entire population of the city was put under arms, and all the 
slaves in the surrounding country were impressed to work upon the 
fortifications. Then began, also, a vigorous system of rebel brag. 
"Wheeler was put to his trumps, and required to whip Kilj^atrick three 
times a day, and to invariably close the report of his victory with the 
announcement, "after this glorious success we fell back ! " All this, 
"Wheeler most valiantly did, but on one occasion, in a fight near Gib- 
son, the county seat of Glascock county, being required to bring in 
Kilpatrick's head as a trophy, he humbly ajjologized with his hat, 
observing that in his haste to full back, he had left Kilpatrick's head 
on its shoulders. 

THE REBELS IN TnE DARK. 

It was through this march from Milledgeville to Millen, occui^ying 
a little over a week, that the movements of Kilpatrick were so vigor- 
ous and his cavalry so perfectly ubiquitous, that the positiiin of Sher- 
man's infantry was wholly unknown to the enemy. Howard's column 
passed through Sandersville Nov. 26, and Louisville Nov. 30. Slocum 
marched through Sparta, in Hancock county, to Gibson, in Glascock 
county, and then moved upon Louisville, converging with the right 
wing near the latter place. The whole army appeared in the vicinity 
of Millen, Dec. 2. Until it was fully ascertained that Sherman had 



430 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

reached Millen, tlic rebels elieved tliat lie was passing clown between 
the Ogechee and Oconee rivers, aiming to reach the coast at Darien 
or Brunswick. 

MORE OF SIIKRMAN's STRATEOT. 

Very adroit strategy was necessary at this juncture, to conceal the 
real direction of the march, for had the rebels known in time that 
Augusta was certain to be avoided, the entire fi.*rcc there could have 
been sent down to Millen, and thus thrown in Sherman's front, and 
resisted or delayed his march wpon Savannah, and in the end would 
Lave proved a f(n-midable addition to the garrison of that place. Kil- 
patrick, therefore, pressed Wheeler more vigorously than ever, and 
the latter fell back toward Augusta, which put him out of Sherman's 
way most effectually, again leaving him in the rear of the very army 
whose advance he was endeavoring to resist. It was during these 
cavalry operations that the fight took place at Waynesboro', Dec. 3d, 
where Wheeler attacked Kilpatrick, and reported that he had "dou- 
bled him up on the main body." But Kil^^atrick wouldn't stay " dou- 
bled up." On the next day Wheeler was compelled to make iiis usual 
report that he had "signally repulsed Kilpatrick," but Avas obliged to 
" fall back ! " the result of which was that he was driven back through 
Waynesboro' and beyond Brier creek, the railway bridge over which 
was destroyed, witliin twenty miles of Augusta, which was the nearest 
approach of our forces to that city. Kilpatrick then took a position 
to guard Sliernan's rear, and while doing so, his force loaded their 
wagons with the forage and provisions of Burke county, for use in the 
less fertile counties in the region of the coast. 

THE MAKCn TO SAVANNAH — SHERMAN LAYS IN SUPPLIES. 

It has been shown that General Sherman's army occupiea about 
eight days in moving from jMilledgeville to Millen, an average distance 
of seventj'-five miles. This is only a trifle over nine miles per day, 
but there is no evidence that he was in motion all the time. On the 
contrary, the rebels discovered, after he had passed Millen, the real 
object of his leisurely progress. Fully aware that the resistance at 
Savannah might be formidable, and that communication with the 
fleet and the procurement of supplies from Port Royal, might be at- 
tended with difficulties, consuming considerable time, he paid more 
attention than usual to foraging in the fertile counties of Jefferson, 
Washington, Burke, Glascock, Warren and Hancock, all immediatly 
west or southwest of Augusta. The rebels said he stopped to "grind 
corn." But the corn didn't need grinding. The animals ate it in the 
ear. and the men were not reduced to that article of diet. They 



OP THE WAR. 431 

brought hard tack enough in their wagons from Atlanta to h-ist them 
through the journey, and tlie comniisiarics issued mainly fresli beef, 
mutton, pork, jjoultrj', sorghum, etc., obtained in the country. Ano- 
ther oiijcct of Sherman's moderate progress, which the rebels M'crc not 
so ready to acknowledge, was the destruction of the railroads. The 
railroad bridge over the Oconee was burned, after the rebels under 
Wayne had been forced back, and that over the Ogechee, near Sebas- 
topol Station, twenty-tivc miles west of Jlillcn, shared a like fate. 
The track was also destroyed in many localities for miles, extending 
all the way from Griswoldvillu to Milieu, on the Georgia Central, 
ninety seven miles, and from Covington to Crawfordsville, on the 
Georgia State road, a distance of sixty miles. Kilpatrick, after driv- 
ing Wlierler beyond Waynesboro', in the direction of Augusta, Dec. 
3, also tore up tlie track and burned the bridges over Brier creek, 
Buckhead creek and several smaller streams. This was on the 
Waynesboro' branch railroad, connecting Savannah with Augusta via 
Millen. 

THE REBELS MAKE A DISCOVEKT. 

The object of Sherman's cautious march through Washington and 
Jefferson counties, and the point at which he had resolved to strike, 
which was never for a moment undecided in his own mind, only be- 
came ajjparent to the rebels when it Avas too late to prevent it. Macon 
had been threatened, and Cobb's forces shut up in its entrenchments, 
leaving them useless and in the rear, when Slierman moved on. Au- 
gusta was threatened, and all the troops that could be gathered were 
put in the fortifications. Charleston and Wilmington were denuded 
for Augusta's defense, and the South Carolina militia were assembled 
at Hamburgh, opjiosite Augusta, to cooperate, if nocessar}^ Tlir.3 
Savannah v.as almost overlooked, and when Sherman headed liis 
columns ciir.'ctly and rapidly for the city, wliicli he did on the 4th of 
December, he left all the rebel forces gathered for his defeat well in 
Ills rear, and found a feebly garrisoned city in liis front. The situa- 
tion as viewed by the rebels, when they fnl!y realized this fact, was 
aptly described by gne of the Augusta ])a!)er3 thus, on the 8d of De- 
cember: " Sherman has not for a mnment hesitated, in our humble 
judgment, as to the point to be attacked or the road to it. When his 
forage and provision trains arc full he will mass his entire force at Mil- 
len ; throwing his cavalry to the rear, with his wagon train between 
the two wiflgs of his army, he will move in compact columns, steadily 
but cautiously upon the city of Savannah, with no fear ot an attack 
on either flank. The Ogeechee and a few crossings and torriblc 
swamps on his right, and the Savannah river and its equally swalnpy 



432 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

banks on his I'jft, both flanks will be most securely covered — a grand 
dcsidcT.iiiuu in army movements. And, thus situated, lie has a march 
of sonieLhing over eighty miles to the city of Savannah." When the 
Augusta people heard that their city was no longer threatened, they 
drew a long breath, and congratulated themselves. " The frowns and 
sadness with Avhich the countenances of our citizens have been be- 
decked," saiil the Sentinel, "liave given way to smiles and mirth.' 
That is, smiles and mirth because their neighbors in Savannah were 
to be the recipients of Slierman's favors, and not they. 

BHERMAN MOVES KAPIDLT. 

From l\Iillen to Savannah is seventj'-nine miles. After leaving Mil- 
len. General Sherman made rapid and regular marches ujjon Savan- 
nah, and on the 9th instant General Howard struck the canal which 
connects the Ogeechec with the Savannah at a point about ten miles ia 
the rear (west) of the city. From this ])oint, and on the evening of 
the same day, he sent throe of his most trusted scouts — Captain Dun- 
can and Sergeants ]Myron J. Emmick and George "W. Quiraby — in a 
small boat down the Ogeechec river, passing Fort McAlister in the 
night, and communicated on the 11th with the gunboat Dandelion of 
Admiral Dahlgren's fleet, ofl" Ossabaw Sound, which immediately took 
them on board, and arrived at Port Royal harbor on the morning of 
the 13th : 

DIRECT INTELLIGENCE FROM THE ARMT. 

Captain Duncan brought the following dispatch from General 
Howard : 

" IlEADQUAnTERS AhMT OF THE TENNESSEE, 

Neau Savannah Canal, Dec. 9, ^^G1. 
" To the Commander of the United States Naval forcis in (fie vkinitij of Savannah : 

Sir : We have met with perfect success thus far. The troops are in fine spirits 
and near by. Respectfully, 

0. 0. HOWARD, Major- General, 
Commanding right wing of tlie army." 

This was the first intelligence direct from the army, and completely 
dispelled all doubts and fears, as well as dissipated an immense 
amount of rebel bombast and boasting of the impediments and diffi- 
culties with which Sherman had met, to say nothing of the repeated 
total annihilation of Kiljjatrick's cavalry, which seems not to have 
been worthy of mention by General Howard or General Sherman. 
Wheeler, who, at last accounts, was "hacking away at Sherman's 
rear," must have had a very dull sabre. 



OF THE Vv' A 11 . 433 

THE CAPTUKE OF FCKT KC AI.LISTEK, 

On the lOMi inst., General Slicrman hiu\ advanced to -witliin five 
miles of Savannah, where, it Mas gcnendly understood, the rebels had 
erected llie first of the three lines of <kfens(S wliich protect tliat city. 
But viiih the wise sagacity and sound military judgment which he 
possesses, General Sherman made preparations at once, not for an as- 
sault upon Savannah, but for the capture of Fort JIcAlister, thereby 
opening tlic Ogcechee river, communicating witli the fieet, and mak- 
ing a water liasc on that river at any point he chose, direct!}' in the 
rear of Savannah ; and also cutting oft" all con)munication between 
Savannah and the southern part of the State, via the Savannah, Al- 
bany and Gulf railroad, Avhich had heretofore been an important av- 
enue of suj^plics to the rebels, from the vast numbers of beef cattle 
from Florida transported over it. Accordingly, a division of troops 
from the 14th Corps, under General Ilazeu, Avas sent down on the 
13th, and at five o'clock p. jr. the fort was gallantly carried by assault, 
with its entire garrison and stores. 

SAVAN^■AII INVrSTED. 

This rendered the situation of the army perfectly secure. The lines 
■were stretched across the peninsula in the rear of Savannah, the left 
resting firmly on the Savannah river, about three miles above the 
city, !ind the extreme right on the Ogeechee river at Kingsbridge. 
This was the situation on the 13th. Having cut ofi" all the railroads 
leading to Savannah, including that to Charleston, which crosses the 
river fifteen miles above the city, and approaches it from the north — 
having complete control of the Ogcechee, and his batteries block- 
ading the Savannah, preventing the rebel gunboats (which w'cut up 
to prevent his crossing into South Carolina) from coming down, Gen- 
eral Sherman's conclusion that Savannah, with its garrison of fifteen 
thousand men, its strong forts on the river, and its factories, public 
buildings, etc., "as already gained," is certainly not too hopeful. 

THE REBEL FORCE IX SAVANKAn. 

The rebel force in Savannah is under the command of Lieutenant- 
General Ilardee, with Major-Geueral Dick Taylor, of the Confederate 
army, Major-General Gustavus W. Smith, of the Georgia militia, as 
Lis subordinates. Major-General McLaws, formerly a division com- 
mander in Longstreet's corps of Lee's army, but relieved because of a 
difficulty with Longstreet in the East Tennessee campaign of last 
year, commands the post of Savannah. Brigadier-General Mercer, of 
the Confederate army, commands Fort Jackson, the strongest work 
on the Savannah river excepting Fort Pulaski. There are not many 

67 



434 



INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 



regular (roops ia Savannali. They arc mostly militia, every citizen 
capable of bearing arms having iK'en put in the ranks. Among the 
troops there arc the First Georgia Regulars, the Forty-sevenlh and 
Fifty-sixlii Georgia Volunteers, several regiments of uhat arc called 
the "Georgia State Line," and two or three brigades of militia. 

THE TRACK OP THE ARMY. 

In order to shou- the extent of country traversed by General Sher- 
man, and to give an idea of how terribly his army made itself felt 
upon the resources of the State, especially those ^^hicll are depended 
upon to feed the rebel army, we give a list of the counties through 
■which the army marched, and in which it foraged and obtained large 
numbers of able-bodied blacks, mules and horses. That these accu- 
mulations were very large, is amply proven by General Sherman's dis- 
patch, which says his first business will be to get rid of "the surplus 
negroes, mtdes and horses," they being an actual incumbrance to 
active ojjcrations: 

rnpuJalirn m I860. 



Counties. 

Fulton (Atlanta) 11,472 

Fiiyctts £,028 

fpalding ('JrifTif.) ... 4 S80 

Tike 6,3oC 

Dekalb 5,800 

Henry C,187 

Butts C,S33 

Monroe 5.776 

Cwinett 10,389 

Walton 0,452 

Ncwtoa .". 7 ,862 

Jasper G.783 

Bibb (\:acon) 9.501 

Jones 3,113 

Twiggs 3,002 

Wilkinson 5,489 



Pnpulalinn i • io60 
Frefi. Slaef.. A,,g 
2,955 
2,019 
S,S19 
4.722 
2,000 
4,515 
3,0C7 
10,177 
2,5.-il 
4,021 
C,453 
0,954 
6,790 
6,989 
5,313 
3,857 



l.i,19 

7,047 

S,G99 

10 078 

7 800 

10,702 

0,455 

15 9.Vj 

129;0 

11,074 

14,320 

10,743 

16,291 

9107 

8,320 

9,376 



C-'tinlies. Free. 

Galdwin (Millcdpev.). 4,149 

Putnam (Eatoutoii).. . 2.987 

Morgan r,991 

.;reenc 4,254 

Hancock (-parta).... 3,907 

Washington C,1GG 

Taliaferro 1,734 

iVarrcn 4,441 

Glascock 1,679 

..Vir.Tsoa 4 174 

Rnrke 5,113 



-criven 3,744 

Buloek 3,506 

EffHigliam 2.5D0 

Cliatham (avan'h) ..'10.230 14,807 
Bryau 1 ,036 



Slave. 


■Agg- 


4,929 


9,078 


7,133 


10,125 


7,000 


9 99T 


SS03 


12.052 


8,1C7 


12,044 


C.D23 


12,09S 


2,849 


4,583 


5,37D 


9,820 


753 


2.43T 


co:5 


10,210 


2,052 


17,165 


4,r.o 


8,274 


2,102 


5 668 


2.165 


4,755 


4,807 


31,043 


2,379 


4,015 



Among the towns and villages that Sherman visited were the fol- 
lowing: Decatur, McDonough, Hillsboro', Jackson, Forsyth, Griffin, 
Covington, Monticello, Clinton, ISIadison, Eatonton, Milledgevillc, 
Greenslxiro', Sparta, Sandersville, Crawfordville, Warrcntou, Gibson, 
Louisville, Waynesboro', Sylvania, Springfield, Millen, Davisboro', 
Gordon and Hillsboro' 



XL. 

INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF THE GRAND CRUSADE. 

A LARGE volume would scarcely suffice to repeat the in- 
cidents and anecdotes of that astounding march. A near 
relative of tlie editor of this work, who accompanied the 
expedition, has enlivened many an evening in his details of 
the fun and frolic on the way ; and yet the story is not half 
told, he says, even by those admirable volumes prepared by 
Major Nichols and Colonel Bowman. An officer who kept 
a diary of the march presents many deeply interesting epi- 
sodes in his journal from which we extract a few : 

Atlanta, Night of 15th November. 

A grand and awful spectacle is presented to the beholder in this 
beautiful city, now in flames. By order, the Chief Engineer has 
destroyed by powder and fire all the storehouses, depot buildings and 
machine shops. The heaven is one expanse of lurid fire ; the air is 
filled with flying, burning cinders ; buildings covering over two hun- 
dred acres are in ruins or in flames; every instant there is the sharp 
detonation or the smothered burning sound of exploding shells and 
powder concealed in the buildings, and then the sparks and flame 
shoot away up into the black and red roof, scattering the cinders far 
and wide. 

These are the machine shops, where have been forged and cast rebel 
cannon, shot and shell, that have carried death to many a brave de- 
fender of our nation's honor. These warehouses have been the recep- 
tacle of munitions of war, stored, to be used for our destruction. The 
city, which, next to Richmond, has furnished more material for prose- 
cuting the M'ar than any other in the South, exists no more as a means 
for the enemies of the Union. 

A brigade of Massachusetts soldiers are the only troops now left in 
the town. They will be the last to leave it. To-night I heard the 
really fine band of the Thirty-third Massachusetts playing "John 
Brown's soul goes marching on," by the light of the burning buildings. 
I have never heard that noble anthem when it was so grand, so solemn, 
BO inspiring. 



436 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

MiLLEDGEVILLE, NoV. 24, 1864, 

We are in full possession of the capital of the State of Georgia, and 
•without firing a gun in its conquest. On Friday last, the Legislature, 
■which had been in session, hearing of our approach, hastily decamped 
without any adjournment. The legislative panic spread among th« 
citizens to such an extent as to depopulate the place, except a few old 
gentlemen and ladies and the negroes : the latter welcoming our ap- 
proach with ecstatic exclamations of joy : "Brcss de Lord ! tanks be 
to Almighty God, de Yanks is come ; de day ob jubilee hab arribed!" 
and then accompanied their words with rather embarrassing hugs, 
which those nearest the sidewalks received quite liberally. 

The fright of the legislators, as described by witnesses, must have 
been comical in the extreme. They little imagined the movement of 
our left wing, hearing first of the advance of Kilpatrick on the ex- 
treme right toward Macon, and supposed that to be another raid. 

It seemed as if they were surrounded upon all sides except toward 
the cast, and that their doom was sealed. With the certain punish- 
ment for their crimes looming up before them, they sought every 
possible means of escape. Private eflfects, household furniture, books, 
pictures, every thing was conveyed to the depot, and loaded into the 
cars until they were filled and heaped, and the flying people could 
not find standing-room. 

Any and every price was obtained for a vehicle. A thousand dol- 
lars Avas cheap for a common buggy, and men rushed about the streets 
in agony of fear lest they should "fall victims to the ferocity of the 
Yankees." 

General Sherman is at the Executive Mansion, its former occupant 
having with extremely bad grace fled from his distinguished visitor, 
taking with him the entire furniture of the building. As General 
Sherman travels with a menage^ (a roll of blankets and a haversack 
full of hard-tack,) which is as complete for a life out in the open air 
as in a palace, this discourtesy of Governor Brow-n was not a serious 
iaconvenience. 

Just before his entrance into Milledgeville General Sherman camped 
on one of the plantations of Howell Cobb. It was a coincidence that 
a Macon paper, containing Cobb's address to the Georgians as General 
commanding, was received the same day. This plantation was the 
property of Cobb's wife, who was a Demar. I do not know that this 
Cobb ever claimed any great reijutatiou as a man of piety and many 
virtues, but I could not \\g\]} contrasting the call upon his fellow- 
citizens to " rise and defend their liberties, homes, etc., from the step 
of the invader, to burn and destroy every thing m his front, assail 



OF THE WAR. 437 

liim on all skies," and all that, with his own conduct here, and the 
MTctched condition of his negroes and their qiwrters. 

This terrorism, which forms so striking a feature of Slavery, has 
had marked illustrations ever since wc left Atlanta. The negroes 
"U'ere told that as soon as Ave got tlicm into our clutches they were 
put into the front of the battle, and wc killed them if they did not 
fight; that wc threw the women and children into the Chattahoochie, 
and when the buildings were burned in AthinV.i we filled them with 
negroes to be roasted and devoured by the flames. These stories, 
■which appear so absurd to us, are not too extravagant for the simple, 
untutored minds of the negroes. They are easily frightened, and full 
of superstition. In most any other instance, such bloody tales would 
have frightened them entirely out of our sight to the woods and other 
hiding jjlaccs ; but they assert, with much earnestness and glee, that 
" massa can't come dat over we ; we knowed a heaj) better. What 
for de Yankees want to hurt black men ? Mass hates de Yankees, 
an' he's no frcn' ter we; so we am de Yankee bi's fren's." Very sim- 
ple logic that ; but it is sufficient for the negroes. 

WHAT THE NEGROES THINK. 

Near Covington, one Judge Harris has a large plantation ; before 
we arrived it was well stocked ; I can't answer for its condition after- 
ward. A jollier set of negroes I never saw than his were when the 
blue coats came along. Horrible stories of their cruelty to the ne- 
groes were also told by their masters to frighten them, but the negroes 
never put one word of fuiih in them. I asked Judge Harris' head- 
man : "Well, how do you like the Yankees?" "Like 'em! bully, 
bully, bully. I'se wanted to see 'em long time ; heard a heap 'bout 
'em. Say, Sally, desc here be gentlemen dat's passin'." A compli- 
ment to our soldiers, which they no doubt would have appreciated 
could they have heard Mr. Lewis. 
. " Yass sar, I'se hope de Lord will prosper dem and Mr. Sherman." 

" Why do you hojie the Lord will prosper the Yankee ?" 

*' Because I tiuks, and so we all tinks, dat you'se down here in our 
interests." 

" You're about right there. Did you ever hear that President Lin- 
coln freed all the slaves ?" 

"No, sar, I nebber heard such a ting; de white folks nebber talk 
'fore black men ; dey mighty free from dat." 

In other parts of the South the negroes I have seen seem to under- 
stand there is a man named Lincoln, who had the power to free them, 
and had exercised it. We iiave here reached a stratum of ignorance 
upon that subject. All knowledge of that nature has not only been 



438 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

kept from the blaeks, but only a few of the whites are well-informed. 
The lieutenant commanding the escort of General Sherman was born 
and has always lived in Milledgevillc — is an officer in the First Ala- 
bama cavalry regiment — tells me that he never saw a copy of the 
New York Tribune until he joined our army. His history, by the 
way, is a most interesting one, and will one day be worth the telling. 
His adherence to the Union army grew out of his natural abhorrence 
to Slavery, whose errors he had witnessed from childhood. His name 
is Sneliing. A young man of good education, of high integrity, 
Bimi^le-hearted, brave, and has been most useful to the cause of his 
country. 

General Sherman invites all able-bodied negroes (others could not 
make the march) to join the column, and he takes especial pleasure 
when they join the procession, on some occasions telling them they 
are free ; that Massa Lincoln has given them their liberty, and that 
they can go where they please; that if they earn their freedom they 
should have it — but that Massa Lincoln had given it to them anyhow. 
They all seem to understand that the proclamation of freedom had 
made them free, and I have met but few instances where they did not 
say they expected the Yankees were coming down some time or other, 
and very generally they are possessed with the idea that we are fight- 
ing for them and that their freedom is the object of the war. This 
notion they get from hearing the talk of their masters. 

*' Stick in dar !" was the angry exclamation of one of a party of 
negroes to another, who was asking too many questions of the officer 
who had given them permission to join the column. " Stick in dar ; 
it's all right ; we'se gwiue along ; we'se free." 

Anoth^ replied to a question, " Oh yass, massa, de people here- 
abouts were heap scared when dey heard you'se comin' ; dey dusted 
out ypr sudden." 

Pointing to the Atlanta and Augusta railroad, which had been de- 
stroyed, tlie question was asked, " It took a longer time to build this 
railroad tban it does to destroy it ?" 

" I'd tink it did, massa; in dat ar woods over dar is buried ever so 
many block men who's killed, sar — yass, killed a-workin' on dat road 
— whipped to death. I seed 'em sar." 

'• Does the man kvc here who beat them ?" 

" Oh no, sar ; he's dun gone long time." 

The most pathetic scenes occur upon our line of march daily and 
hourly. Thousands of negro women join the column, some carrying 
household truck ; others, and many of them there are, who bear the 
heavy burden of children in their arms, while older boys and girls 
plod by their sides. All these women and children are ordered back, 



OF THE WAR. 439 

heart-rending though it may be to refuse them liberty. They wont 
go. One begs that she may go to see her husband and children at 
Savannah. Long years ago she was forced from them and sold. An- 
other has heard that her boy was in Macon, and she is " done gone 
with grief goin' on four years." 

But the majority accept the advent of the Yankees as the fulfill- 
ment of the millennial jM-ophecies. The "day of jubilee," the hoi^e 
and prayer of a lifetime, has come. They cannot be made to under- 
stand that they must remain behind, and they are satisfied only when 
. General Sherman tells them — as he does every day — tliat we shall 
come back for them some time, and that they must be patient until 
the proper hour of deliverance comes. 

The other day a woman with a cliild in her arms was working her 
way along amongst the teams and crowds of cattle and horsemen. 
An officer called to her kindly, " Where are you going, aunty ?" 

She looked up into his face with a hopeful, beseeching look, and 
replied : "I'se gwine where you'te gwine, massa." 

At a house a few miles from Milledgeville we halted for an hour. 
In an old hut I found a negro and his wife, both of them over 
sixty years old. In the talk which ensued nothing was said which 
led me to suppose that either of them was anxious to leave theie mis- 
tress, who, by the way, was a sullen, cruel-looking woman, when sud- 
denly the old negress straightened herself up, and her fixce, which a 
moment before was almost stupid in its expression, assumed a fierce, 
almost devilish, aspect. Pointing her shining Hack finger at the old 
man crouched in the corner of the fire-place, she hissed out: 

" What for you sit dar; you s'pose I wait sixty years for nutten ? 
Don't you see de door open. I'se follow my child ; I not stay. Yes, 
nodder day I goes 'long wid dese people ; yes, sar, I walk till I drop 
in my tracks." 
I A more terrible sight I never beheld. I can think of nothing that 
can compare with it, except Charlotte Cushman's Mcgg Merrilies, 
Ecmbrandt only could have painted the scene with its dramatic sur- 
roundings. 

It was near this place that several factories were burned. It was 
odd to see the delight of the negroes at the destruction of places 
known only to them as ^-isk-houses, where they had groaned under 
the lash. 

ACROSS THE OGEECHEE. 
Station of Georgia Centkal Kailroad, November 30. 
With the exception of the 15th Corps, our army is across the Ogee^ 
chee, and without fighting a battle. This river is a line of great 



440 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

strength to tlic rebels, and tbey miglit Lave made its passage a costly 
effort for us, but tlicy have been outwitted and outmanoeuvred. 

At this station we came across an old man named Wells, who was 
the most original character I ever met. He was depot-master in the 
days when there was a railroad here. He is a shrewd ohl man, and 
seemed to understand the merits of the case perfectly. He said : 

"They say you are retreating, but it is the strangest sort of a re- 
treat I ever saw. Why, dog bite then:, the newspapers have been 
lying in this way all along. They allers are Avhipping the Federal 
armies, and they allers fall back after the battle. It was that ar idee 
that first opened my eyes. Our army was allers Avhipping the Feds., 
and we allers fell back. I allers told 'em it was a d — d humbug, and 

now, by , I know it, for here you arc, right on old John Wells's 

place ; hogs, potatoes, corn and fences all gcme. I don't find any 
fault; I expected it all. 

" JefF. Davis and the rest," he continued, "talk about splitting the 
Union. Why, if South Carolina had gone out by herself, she would 
have been split in four pieces by this time. Splitting the Union! 
Why, d — n it, the State of Georgia is being split right through from 
end to end. It is these rich fellows who are making this war, and 
keeping their bodies out of harm's way. There's John Franklin went 
through here the other day, running away from your army. I could 
have played dominoes on his coat-tails. There's my poor brother, 
sick -with smallpox at Macon, working for 'leven dollars a month, and 
hasn't got a cent. of the d — n stuflF for a year. 'Leven dollars a month 
and 'leven thousand bullets a minute! I don't believe in it, sir. 

"My wife came from Canada, and I kind o' thought I would some- 
time go there to live, but was allers afraid of the ice and cold ; but 
I can tell you this country is getting too cussed hot for me. Look 
at my fence i-ails a-burning there; I think I can stand the cold better. 
" I heard as how they cut down the trees across your road up- 
country and burn the bridges. Why, (dog bite their hides) one o' 

you Yankees can take up a tree and carry it oflP, tops and all ; and 

there's that bridge you put across the river in less than two hours-^ 

they might as well try to stop the Ogtechee as you Yankees. 

" The blasted rascals who burnt this yer bridge thought they did » 

big thing. A nat'ral born fool cut in two had more sense in eithci 

end than any of them. 

''To bring back the good old times," he said, "it'll take the help 

o' Divine Providence, a heap o' rain, and a deal o' elbow grease, to fix 

things up again." 

A significant feature of this campaign, which has not before been 

inenti(med innhis diary, received a marked illustration yesterday. 



OF THE WAR. 441 

Except m a few instances, private residences have not been destroyed. 
Yesterday we 2>asscd the phmtation of ]\ir. Stubbs, The house, cot- 
ton-gin, press, corn ricks, stables, every thing that coukl burn, was in 
flames, and in the door-yard lay tlie bodies of several bloodhounds, 
that had been used to track and pull down negroes and our cscai>ed 
prisoners. And wherever our army has passed, crery thing in the 
ehape of a dog has lx;en killed. The soldiers and officers are deter- 
mined that no more flying fugitives, white men or negroes, sliall be 
followed by track-hounds that come within reach of their powder 
and bsTL 

Decembek 13th, at Fort McAlister, 

To-day I have been a spectator of one of those glorious sights where 
the actors passing through the most fearful ordeal of fire which befalls 
the soldier, come out successful, and are, always after, heroes, 

The Second division of the 15th Corps have marched to-day fifteen 
miles; and, without the assistance of artillery, have crossed an open 
space of six hundred yards, under a fire of twenty-one heavy guns, 
crawling through a. thick abattis, crossed a ditch of great depth, at 
whose bottom were driven thick palisades, torn them aAvay, surmount- 
ed the crest and palisades, shot and bayoneted the gunners who 
refused to surrender at their posts, and planted the Stars and Stripes 
upon the work in triumph. The assault was made with a single line, 
which approached the fort from all sides but that of the river at the 
same instant, never for an instant wavering, no man lurking shelter, 
but facing the fire manfully. 

The explosion of torpedoes at this point did not deter them. Gen- 
eral Sherman's old division and corps had been told that he had said, 
'' Carry the place by assault to-night, if possible,"" they resolved to 
fulfill their old commander's wish, and they di.l it. Perhaps in the 
liistory of this war there has not been a more striking example of the 
evidence of quick, determined action. Had we waited, put up en- 
trenchments, shelled the place, and made the usual approaches, we 
should have lost many more lives, and time that was invaluable. As 
it is, our entire loss is not more than ninety men killed and wounded, 
and we have gained a necessity, a base of supplies. Our whole army 
are eager to emulate such a glorious example, and their esj^rit du corps 
lias been raised to the grandest height 

With the flill of Fort McAlister Savannah was won. 
Coramunieating with the fleet at once, upon his arrival. 
Sherman an-anged for the investment of the city, and, so 
rapidly was the work carried forward that Hardee had only 
time enough to escape from liis strong works, which he did, 
58 



442 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

by passing over the river, into South Carolina, during the 
darkness of the night of December 19th. On the day fol- 
lowing Sherman had arranged to carry the city by assault. 
The escape of Hardee spared the city an effusion of blood 
and terrible destruction of property. Sherman occupied the 
place on the 22d — the gallant Geary s division marching in 
as custodians of the prize, while the expedition commander 
dispatched the following unique announcement of his success 
to the President : 

Savannah. Ga,, Dec. 23, 1864. 
His Excellency President Lincoln : 

I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, ■with 
one hundred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also 
about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton. 

W. T. SHEPMAX, Major-General. 

The ultimate object of the Grand March was accomplished, 
and the rebellion had received a blow which shook the 
Southern fabric to its foundation w^alls. 



XLI. 

THE HORRORS OF SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

Notwithstanding all the evidence produced at the trial 
of Captain Wirz, in "Washington, during the fall of 1865, the 
story of the sufferings of Union prisoners in Southern prisons 
is only half told Ilaving seen hundreds of those who had' 
experienced the horrors of those awful open pens — having 
viewed their wasted frames and heard their piteous tale, we 
haoiu that the civilized world never before witnessed such 
barbarous treatment of prisoners of war. Twenty-two thou- 
sand men finally released from the keeping of the monster 
in liuman shape, Captain Wirz, almost uniformly attest the 



OF THE WAR. 443 

recitals of individual statements already laid before the pub- 
lic ; and no testimony has been offered which merits a 
moment's consideration that seeks to set aside or even to 
qualify the uniform evidence which the sufferers have given; 
while the graves of twelve thousand starved and murdered 
men send up their mute protest against the defense offered 
for the wretched author of so much suffering, and wrong ; 
namely — that he but enforced the orders of his superiors. 
His immediate superioi', General ELuger, was cruel and brutal, 
as the evidence proved ; and the fact was also divulged on 
the "Wirz trial that the War Department at Eichmond, was 
fully cognizant ^ of the treatment meted out to the Union 
prisoners at Andersonville, Saulsbury, Libby prison, etc., 
but that Wirz exceeded all orders in the practice of his 
cruelty at Andersonville, is to be regarded as established. 
That the Confederate Government through General Huger 
and General Howell Cobb permitted such a monster to re- 
main in charge of the pen, is to their own eternal disgrace, 
and by the verdict of a common judgment they stand con- 
victed as particeps criminis in the keeper's guilt. " May their 
memory forever be accursed ! " was the anathema upon every 
sufferer's lips, and the verdict of posterity will not erase the 
infamy now ascribed to the authors of th*e Southern Prison 
Pens' barbarity. 

A correspondent of the N. Y. Times, who was present on 
the Savannah river, at Venus Point, where the exchanges 
were made, late in November, 1864 — by which many of the 
prisoners from Andersonville, Millen, etc., were restored to 
their liberty — at that time gave to the world such damning 
j9?-oo/"of the atrocious treatment of our prisoners, at the hands 
of the enemy as shocked the entire loyal community. His 
account was not circumstantial but documentary, while, as 
he wrote, the victims of Andersonville stood before or lay 
around him on the receiving decks. He said : " Aside from 
the indignation which every man can not help feeling at the 
visible effects of the cruelties that have been practiced — an 
indignation almost forbidding a calm recital of the facts — • 



44^ INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the task invests itself with another difficulty, as words are 
found incapable of expressing the revolting experiences and 
incredible hardships of the men who have been languishing 
without hope, month after month, shelierless, naked and half 
starved, crowded— to the number of from twentj-five to thirty 
thousand— like sheep in a foul pen, dying at an average of 
one hundred in every twenty- four hours. Happily, however, 
in addition to the daily reports, covering a period of more 
than a month of the rebel physicians at Andersonville, a pe- 
rusal of which requires no flight of imagination to conceive 
of the horrors of the prison, I have before me the diaries of 
two of our doad soldiers, brought down to a very recent 
date, from which I purpose to make some extracts, which, 
more forcibly and eloquently than any words of mine, will 
come like voices from the grave, telling a truthful tale of 
cruel wrongs, and appealing to the people and the Govern- 
ment in bolialf of the thousands still in captivity for j^rompt 
release.'* 

We since have had ample testimony that his Avorst con- 
jectures — his most shocking statements, were but too true ; 
and may, therefore, cull from ihe documents submitted at 
that tim-j, and, from the writer's own observations, such facts 
as will give the reader an idea of the inhumanity studiously 
practiced upon the Union prisoners of war held in the prisons 
of Georgia, South Carolina and Norih Carolina. After de- 
tailing the arrival of the i-ebel ti'nn-porls from above Augusta, 
loaded with the Andersonville [irisoncrs, and their transfer 
to the Fc'leral steamers in waiting, under a flag of truce, at 
Venus Point, just above Savannah, the writer refers to ihe 
exceeding joy manifested by the men at their release. It 
was very aftecting to witness their expressions of relief, but 
what a cighi did they present! This is the picture presented ? 

"These the son?, brothers, husbands and fathers of the 
North ! Men reduced to living skeletons ; men almost na- 
ked ; shoeless men, shirtless men, hatless men; men Vv'ith no 
other garment than nn overcoat; men whose skins are black- 
ened by dirt, and hang on their protruding bones loosely as 



OF THE "WAR. 445 

bark on a tree; men whose very presence is simply disgust- 
ing, exhaling an odcr so fetid that it almost stops the breath 
of those unaccustomed to it, and causes an involuntary 
brushing of the garments if with them there is accidental 
contact. Imagine twenty-five thousand of such wretched 
creatures penned together in a space scarcely large enough 
to hold them, and compare their condition with the most 
miserable condition that can be imagined. The suffering of 
the Revolutionary captives on the prison ships at Wallabout 
Bay, will not stand the comparison, and the horrible night 
in the Blackhole of Calcutta scarcely exceeds it in atrocity. 
Eemember, too, th;it the men thus returned, are the best spe- 
cimens of the suffering. Only those are forwarded to us 
w hom the rebel medical authorities decide to be strono: enou2;h 
to bear the fatigue of transportation. If those whose wretch- 
edness I have viiinly endeavored to portray, are the best 
specimens of our sick and wounded, is it not awful to con- 
template what must be the woe of the remainder? " 

Ilumanity stands aghast at such a picture ; and when we 
turn to the well ordered, spacious, comfortable prison-camps 
and quarters provided throughout the North for the rebel 
prisoners, the very contrast renders the sight more revolting. 

Having received the men, the first thing was to feed them. 
Said the writer: 

"As soon as possible, barrels of hot coffee are prepared, 
and hams are cooked, and boxes of hard bread are opened, 
for the refreshment of these men, to whom decent food has 
been for a long time unknown. It is a touchinof siorht to see 
them, each with his quart can, file by the steaming coffee 
barrels, and receive the refreshing draught whose taste has 
long been unfamiliar. It seems scarcely possible that men 
should feel such childish joy as they express in once more 
receiving this common stimulant. •' And then, the eager, 
hungry glare which their glassy eyes cast upon the chunks 
of ham as they clutch and devour their allowance with a 
wolf like avidity ! These facts can only be imderstood by 
the spectator in remembering that for months they have 



446 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

been deprived of a sufficient quantity of palatable food, and 
the liitle they have received has been rarely coukcd, because 
in a country abounding with fuel and gloomy with immense 
pine forests, their jailors forbade them the poor privileo-e of 
adequate iires. At the prison-pen near Millen, Ga. for some 
weeks there has been no meal or flour given to the prison- 
ers, and the sweet potatoes issued in lieu thereof have been 
eaten r.iw, because there was no opportunity of getting fuel 
for cooking purposes." 

Such statements might well excite a feeling of incredu- 
lity ; but, authenticated as they then were, without the vast 
mass of evidence produced at Wirz's trial, the most incredu- 
lous must have been convinced. " The most irrefragible 
proof," wrote the correspondent, "is lying before me, not 
alone in the ex 'parte testimony and wasted, hungry aspect 
of the sufferers, whose filth and squalor and skeleton frames 
appeal for justice to the God of justice, but in the official 
papers of the rebel surgeons at Andersonville, and the rec- 
ords of the charnel-houses, miscalled hospitals, at that ter- 
restrial hell— records never meant to pass the limits of the 
Confederacy, but which a merciful Providence has brought 
to light, that out of their own mouths these barbarians, with 
whom we are at war, should be convicted." 

These reports were submitted, that the w^orld might read 
and judge. * "For the period of a month through which 
they extend,'' added the writer, " there is a constant, monoto- 
nous complaint, often assuming the language of protest, 
against the treatment to wdiich the sick were subjected. Men 
in the last stages of emaciation from chronic diarrhoea re- 
ceived no nourishment whatever, and starved to death on 
coarse rations which the stomach of a strong man would re- 
ject. Others, suffering from gangrene and ulcers, were com- 
pelled to fester in putridity without even sufficient water to 
cleanse their loathsome sores. Week after week the dis- 
eased and the dying were kept without shelter, and many of 
them without clothing, on the bare ground, exposed to the 
torrid sun by day and to heavy rains at all times, in total 



OF THE WAR 447 

disregard of tlie earnest ana almost dispairing appeals of 
kind-hearted physicians for their relief." 

Dr. R E. Mudd, August 10th, reported to the Medical 
Inspector of the Day : 

" Sir : As Officer of the Day, I regret to report this division in bad 
condition. The patients are suffering very much for want of l)ed3 
and bedding. Some of the wards have no bunks, and tliereby suffer 
much from being on the damp ground, which is not sufficiently pro- 
tected by ditches around the tents. The food is badly prepared. The 
bread is baked of meal without being sifted, and the meat is not 
cooked properly. Also would respectfully recommend that four or 
five wheelbarrows be furnished for the use of the hospital. There 
was no salt furnished yesterday." 

Dr. R M. Pattei'son, on the same day, reported : 

"On visiting the deadrhouse, I find great negligence in interring 
the dead, some of the bodies having lain as many as four days. Such 
continued negligence must certainly create an epidemic, and measures 
should be taken for an immediate remedy:" 

Dr. Reeves, on the 13th, wrote: 

"Having visited the different wards, I find the ents in ad condi- 
tion, a great many leaking, and a great many of the patients lying on 
the ground, getting very wet when it rains. Also find rations insuf- 
ficient. Would most respectfully recommend that straw of some 
kind be secured for bedding, also some arrangement to raise them off 
the ground. Without a change in this respect it will be impossible 
for us to practice with success." 

Dr. Wm. Magill, on the same day, reported of his ward 
division : 

"I have carefully examined into the condition of said division, and 
find, first, that the patients' diet is anything but what it should be ; 
that they are sufiering for the want of vegetables. I also find that 
they are suffering for the want of bunks and bedding, as well as cov- 
ering — being destitute of all. I also find that the nurses are not as 
attentive as they should be. I would strongly advise that bunks bo 
immediately prepared and suitable beds and bedding furnished them. 
The cooking department is very deficient." 

Matters grew worse for the poor prisoners, notwithstand- 
ing these repeated medical demands for reform. 

Dr. A. Thornburg was compelled.^on the 15th, to present 
tliis horrible report : 

" I have inspected the second division carefully, and am sorry to 



443 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

have again to report tlic division in a very bad condition. In the 
first, second and third ^ards wc have no bunks, the patients being 
compelled to lie on the ground, many of them without blankets, and 
some of them without clothes. If there are any bedsacks iu 'Dixie' 
it is to be hoped that they will be procured also. We need straw 
very badly, especially for the fifth ward. We have men ia this tccuxl 
who are a living^ moving mass of initrcfadion^ and cannot possibhj ie 
cured of tlieir irounds tmless we can make them more comfortalAe. I be- 
lieve that the medical officers are doing their duty faithfully, also the 
nurses and attendants. But we experience great difficulty in pro- 
curing the medicines prescribed, and, as Ave have to use mostly in- 
digenous remedies, we cannot use them projierly, not having any 
vessels to prepare them in. Could you not j^rocure a camp-kettle for 
each ward, to be used for that purpose only ? I would also respect- 
fully ask for a half dozen washbasins for the fifth ward for washing 
jiurposes— ^/ic ones we have heeii using for dressing wounds and xdcers are 
not fit for other uses. We also need a few barrels for water. Every 
ward needs mugs for medicines; also bottles." . 

Dr. J. C. Petot, on the 19th, reported: 

" I A\ould again, however, call your attention to the condition of 
the patients. More than half of the tents are without bunks or bed- 
ding, necessarily causing considerable discomfort to the jJatients. The 
food is improperly cooked, and I would again suggest tlie necessity 
of having cooking arrangements provided for tlw division. We are 
iu need of al^out twelve barrels for Avater for t4ie division; at least 
one Avheelbarrow for each Avard, for i)oUcing purposes. I Avould also 
report an insufficiency of medicines." 

On the 20th, Dr. D. W. Ma5see reported : 

" In examining the kitchen or cooking department, I find the heef 
in 'Very had conditio?!, having heen Mown hj flies so long that it was infested 
with live insects or creeiiers. The division is very much in need of more 
boxes. I respectfully recommend that husks or straw be furnished 
the patients of the cMvision." 

Not even husks or straw, yet, for invalids ! On the 29th 
of August, Dr. W. S. ]\lills had to say: 

" I notice that there are very many of the sick in great need of 
clothing ; this lack is a sad one, and, if possible, clothing should be 
provided for the most needed cases. I also notice the cooking de- 
partment is poorly supplied Avith salt ; a scarcity of this article is a 
fruitful source of bowel atfliction. And I Avould suggest that the 
gangrene Avard be enlarged, as it is quite insufficient to receive all 
gangrene cases." 



OF THE WAR. 449 

And so the sad record of twenty days read. Extend that 
record over twenty months, and, as the months incieased, 
add daily to the growing sht)rtness of rations and medicines, 
to ihc growing scarcity of chjlhing and bedding, to the grow- 
ing weakness of the prisoners from starvation, e.xj)osui-o and 
cruelt}^, and we have the story of the Andersonviile j)rison- 
peii, whose keeper was Captain Wirz, Avliose ccnnmanding 
ofhccr was General linger, whose department commander 
was Howell Cobb. May Heaven be more lenient in its de- 
crees against them than they were to the lielpless captives 
consigned to their inhuman care by an inhuman Govern- 
ment ! 

" ScAREOKOUGn, Dcccmhcr 3. 

".This place is five miles above IMillen Junction. A space of ground 
some diroc hundred feet square, inclosed by a stockade, without any 
covering ^vllatsoeve^, Avas the hole wlicrc tliousands of our brave sol- 
diers have been confined for many months past. Exposed to heavy 
dews, tlie biting frosts, the pelting rains, witliout so much as a board, 
or tent even, to protect those poor naked fellows, who were almost 
always robbed of their clothing when captured, some of tliem had 
adopted a wretched alternative, and dug holes in the ground, into 
which they crept at times. What wonder that we found the evidence 
that seven hundred and fifty had died there ? 

" From what misery did death release them! I can realize it all 
now, as I could not even when listening to the stories of prisoners 
Avho had fled from this hell— escaped the devils in hot pursuit — foiled 
the keen scent of the track-hounds put upon their jDath. Here is the 
uselessly cruel pen where my brothers have been tortured Avitli ex- 
jiosure and starvation. God ccrlainly will visit the authors of all 
this crime with his terrible lightning.' Jeff. Davis knew that the 
Northern people would see the condition of the victims of Bello 
Island. How fearful must be the treatment of those who are removed 
far from the hope of exchange ! You at the North may not feel the 
iieccssit^^ of retaliation, and may continue to clothe warmly, feed 
plentifully, and comfortably house the rebel prisoners, who are hap- 
pier far than if free with tlieir commands ; but you must not expect 
those who have endured and those who may endure these agonies, to 
feel or act with the same extravagance of generosity," 
59 



XLII. 

Sherman's grand march though the 
carolinas. 

The start! rng success of the extraordinary march, from 
Tennessee to the sea, of Sherman's army, was but the pre- 
lude of an adventure still more daring and more pregnant 
with effect upon the life of the Confederacy. The march to 
Savannah had demonstrated to the blindest devotees of the 
Soutli their utter helplessness before the Union arms. That 
demonstration was a victory of more moment than if a great 
battle had been won, for it pricked the " wind-bag of South- 
ern conceit" — it let light in upon dark places — it cut a burn- 
ing swath through a region deemed perfectly secure ; all of 
which was good in fruits to the Union cause — sad in results 
to the people of Georgia. But the second step in the mighty 
campaign was destined to give the fatal thrust which ended 
the existence of the Southern Republic ; and it stands out, 
therefore, on the page of history, as one of the few events 
which will not be permitted to pass from the memory of fu- 
ture generations. 

South Carolina, through all the war, up to 1866, had es- 
caped unscathed in her territory save in the loss of her sea 
islands. The State which, of all others, was most responsi- 
ble for the rebellion had suffered least. The desolated 
homes of Virginia, the guerrilla-haunted counties of Ten- 
nessee and Kentucky, the gunboat surveillance of Louisiana 
and Misssissippi — all presented a distant picture of war to 
her people ; and, not having tasted the fruits of blood, save 
in their losses in a distant army, the people were as haughty, 
as fierce, as defiant as in the beginning. Said the Charleston 
Mercury when referring to Georgia's powerlessness before 



OF THE WAR. 451 

Sherman's legion : " South Carolina don't intend to be con- 
quered. She intends to fight. She don't intend to be ham- 
pered and turned over to the enemy. It is the imbecile who 
is sick at heart ; it is the coward whose stomach is weak. 
"We want no child's play." And yet, in a few days' time, 
the capital of their State was consumed. Charleston had 
fallen like v. helpless, frightened invalid, and the Palmetto 
State was " under the heel of the despot " in a manner to 
feel every nail in that mailed foot. 

Having recuperated and re-enforced his ranks, Sherman 
was ready, by the middle of January, for his truly hazard- 
ous and heavy enterprise, which was nothing less than a 
march through the heart of South and North Carolina, a 
junction with forces from Newbern, and a march upon Eich- 
mond from Raleigh — all part and plot of Grant's plan for 
capturing the entire Confederate army, and thus to end the 
long contest. 

About the 16th of January, 1865, the 17lh Corps and 
three divisions of the 15lh Corps were conveyed in trans- 
ports from Savannah to Beaufort, from whence the 17th 
marched to Pocotaligo, where they had a slight encounter 
with the enemy, but soon took the fort with the loss of a 
few men. Brevet ]\fajor-General Corse, Fourth division, 
15th Corps, took up his line of march with the left wing, 
which crossed the Savannah at Sister's ferry. It was also 
the intention to send the Third division by land across the 
Savannah river and an estuary of the sea at Union Cause- 
way, but the flooding of the country by the heavy rains and 
freshets forced them to cross in transports. The same cause 
retarded also the general advance of the army, which was 
to take place about the 20th of the month. The fall of rain, 
which was the heaviest remembered in Savannah, flooded 
the whole country, converting it into one sea. 

Some of the troops who had commenced their march were 
forced to bivouac on rice swamps and islands for several 
days, being unable to advance or retire. In some cases sup- 
plies had to be conveyed to them in boats. So intense was 



452 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

the flood that the country was covered for miles. The men 
were up to their waists on the plantations, the pontoons on 
the river were swept away — even some men and teams were 
lost. The l-ith Corps and two divisions of the 20th Corps 
bad fared in like manner. Geary's division remained in the 
city until he was relieved by Major-General Grover, who 
now assumed command. 

On the 26th of January, the 20th and 14th Corps took up 
their line of march toward Sister's ferry, along the Georgia 
side of the river. 

On the evening of the 29th, the 17th Corps, commanded 
by Major-General Frank Blair, broke camp around Poco- 
taligo and moved toward the Combahee river, resuming their 
march next day on the right of the Savannah and Charles- 
ton railroad, where they had some slight skirmishing with 
the rebel cavalry, whom they shelled out of the woods on 
the opposite side of the river. 

The 15th Corps, commanded by Major General John A. 
Logan, took up their line of march along the Beaufort road, 
and encamped on the night of the 20th between the railroad 
and McPhersonville. 

The Army of the Tennessee rested on the 81st to allow 
the left wing to come up, and also to have all delayed troops 
and supplies join their command. 

According to the plan, the Army of the Tennessee was to 
take the right wing — the 17th Corps moving on the extreme 
right, and the 15th Corps on the right centre — taking up 
their line of march from their temporary encampments 
around Beaufort and Pocotaligo, along the roads between 
the Coosawhatchie and the Combahee rivers. 

The Army of the Cumberland, under Major General Slo- 
cum, occupied the left, the 20th Corps the left centre, and 
the 14th Corps the extreme left — both marching from Savan- 
nah on the right of the Georgia Central raili'oad, crossing at 
Lester's ferry and Union causeway, then keeping to the right 
until they formed a junction with the Army of the Tennes- 
see. Kilpatrick's cavalry operated partly in front and 



" OFTHEWAR. 453 

partly in flank of the left wing, and extending well in on 
the river. 

General Sherman travelled for the most part with the left 
wing. As to his intentions and destination, thej appeared 
a mystery to all. lie really had no definite course laid 
down, for his movements were to be controlled by those of 
the enemy. Ilad he struck right for Charleston the enemy 
could concentrate and mass in his front, thus retarding his 
march and forcing him to a general engagement, which he 
did not wish to bring on, for he was too far from his base, 
and not in a condition to care for his wounded. The same 
would hold good had he moved for Augusta, or any special 
place. He moved his army in two columns, each strong 
enough to resist any force the enemy could bring against it ; 
yet moving near enough to concentrate should a large force 
threaten either. Their separate movement fooled the enemy. 
They had to detach their forces to try and keep him in 
check. By Sherman's masterly movements they soon found 
themselves isolated and helpless. Sherman's object was first 
to destroy the network of railroads running through South 
Carolina, connecting Charleston with Richmond, Augusta, 
Columbia, and other important points. In this he soon fully 
succeeded, compelling them to evacuate Charleston, and ren- 
dering Augusta and other points of no military value to the 
enemy. 

The following chronology of the Carolina campaign, pre- 
pared by a correspondent of the New York Herald who ac- 
companied the expedition, presents its general features at a 
glance:' 



IGth — Right -^ving (IStli and 17th Corps) transferred from Savannah to Beau- 
fort. 

20th — Left wing left Savannah, marching on either side of the Savannah river 
toward' Augusta. 

23d — General Sherman transferred headquarters from Savannah to Beaufort. 

25th — Left wing delayed by rains in camp, seven miles from Savannah. 

26th — Left wing at Springfield. 

27th — Advance of left wing reached Sister's ferry. 



454 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

29th — Bight wing raored from Pocotaligo toward the Combahee river. Lefl 
wing in camp at Sister's ferry delaj-ed by rains and high water. 

30th — Right wing moving along Savannah and Charleston railroad, and be- 
tween the railroad and McPhersonville encountering small parties of rebel 
cavalry. Left wing at Sister's ferry. 

31st — Right wing at McPhersonville. Left wing at Sister's ferry. 

FEBKUARY. 

1st — Right wing moved from McPhersonville toward Hickory Hill. Left wing 
still water-and-mud bound at Sister's ferry. 

3d — Right wing moved to Brighton's bridge, over the Salkehatchie, when the 
enemy made resistance to the passage of the stream and burned the bridge. 

4th — Right wing effected passage of the Salkehatchie. Left wing moved 
across the Savannah. 

5th-^Right wing crossed Whippy swamp. Left wing moved to Brighton, 
which had been burned by the rebel cavalry. 

t 6th — Advance of the right wing fought Wheeler at Orange church on the Lit- 
tle Salkehatchie. 

I 7th— Right wing at Bambury, and midway on Charleston and Augusta |rail- 
road. Left wing moved to Lawtonville, which was burned by the 20th Corps. 
' 8th — Right wing crossed the South Edisto river. Left wing in camp at Law- 
tonville. 

9th — Right wing at Grahamsville. Left wing reached Allendale. 

10th — Right wing crossed North Kdisto river. Left wing reached Fiddle Pond, 
ir Barnwell. 

11 — thRight wing captured Orangeburg. Left wing marched through Barn- 
well, which was left in ashes, and encamped three miles from White Pond 
station. 

12th — Right wing made a rapid march from Orangeburg toward the Congaree, 
The left wing tore up ten miles of the Charleston and Augusta railroad. 

13th — Left wing crossed the South Edisto river. 

14th — Left wing crossed the North Edisto river. 

I5th — Right wing effected a passage of the Congaree, and began shelling Co- 
lumbia. General Carlin, in the advance of the left wing, skirmished with the 
rebels near Lexington, capturing and burning the town. 

16th — The right wing confronting Columbia. Left wing marched to Hart'a 
ferry, on the Saluda river, and crossed. 

17th — Right wing occupied Columbia. Same night Columbia was burned. 
Left wing reached the Broad river. 

18th — Right wing in camp at Columbia, and left wing in camp on Broad river. 

19th — Left wing crossed the Broad, and destroyed Greenville and Columbia 
railroad, camping near Alston. 

20th — Right wing left Columbia, destroying railroad to Winnsboro'. Left 
wing moved to and crossed Little river. 

21st — The whole army was concentrated at Winnesboro') thus leading Joha-^ 
Bton to suppose that it was Sherman's intention to push upon Charlotte. 



OFTHEWAR. 455 

22d -Right wing engaged in the passage of the Wateree river at Pay's ferry. 
Left wing tore up the railroad above Winnesboro', and moved to Youngsville. 

23d— Right wing on Lynch creeli. Left wing reached Rocky Mount, Catawba 
river. 

24th— Part of the left wing crossed the Catawba (or Wateree) river. 

25tli— Right wing captured Camden. Left wing passing Catawba river. 

27th— Left wing still engaged in difficult passage of the Catawba. General 
Carlin had a fight with Wheeler's cavalry. 

28th — Right wing moved from Camden toward Cheraw, encamping on Lynch's 
creek, and halting for three days, waiting for the left wing, delayed at the Ca- 
tawba river, to get up. 

MARCH. 

1st— Left wing moved to Hanging Rock. 

2d— Left wing marched to Horton's ferry, or Lynch's creek. 

Sd — The left wing being up, the whole army crossed Lynch's creek. 

4th— Right wing captured Cheraw. Left wing crossed Thompson's creek. 

6th — Right wing and part of the left crossed the Great Pedee river. Davis' 
corps, of the left wing, moved up to Sneedsboro'. 

Cth — Davis crossed the Great Pedee, and the whole army was massed to move 
on Fayetteville. 

7th — Left wing moved to near Downing river. 

8th— Right wing at Laurel Hill. 

9th — The whole army marched on several roads converging at Fayetteville to 
within twenty miles of the place. 

lOih — Marched to within ten miles of Fayetteville in line of battle, anticipat- 
ing an engagement with Hardee. Kilpatrick's cavalry struck the rear of Har- 
dee's retreating forces near Fayetteville, and engaged Hampton in one of the 
finest cavalry battles of the war. 

11th — The whole army entered Fayetteville, having been engaged in the cam- 
paign for fifty-four days, and having marched four hundred and forty-three 
miles. 

Sherman's powers as a strategist were fully tasked on this 
eventful march. With the forces of Johnston, Bragg, Ilar- 
dee, Hampton, Ilill, Cheatham, S. D. Lee, Wheeler and 
Butler, numbering about forty thousand men all told, scat- 
tered over South and North Carolina, from Augusta to 
Charleston and Wilmington, with an abundance of railways 
to enable them to concentrate and deliver battle, it is indeed 
marvelous how he could have avoided a pitched battle, and 
safely conducted his forces to the point of junction with 
Schofield's forces. Twenty out of the fifty days' march 
were days of rain ; the roads, consequently, were deep with 
mud, and the rivers swollen to their fullest capacity. Yet 



456 INCIDENTS AND. ANECDOTES 

Steadily on liis lines swept, leaving benina them and on their 
flank terrible evidences of the cost of John C. Calhoun's 
philosophy to South Carolina. His first moves were directed 
to baffling the forces set to watch and harrass his march. 
He therefore made it appear that Charleston was the point 
aimed at, and the rebel forces at once began to concentrate 
at Branchville and below. But suddenly Slocum was 
pushed up toward Augusta. The enemy now believed that 
Sherman's feint was with the right wing, and the blow would 
come from the left. Cheatham's and Hill's corps, withdrawn 
from the front of the right wing, posted off to Augusta, and 
commenced digging. While Slocum demonstrated against 
Augusta, Howard easily seized the Charleston and Branch- 
ville and the Branchville and Columbia railroads, severing 
communications ; then Slocum suddenly turned to the right, 
and, leaving the main rebel force digging dirt at Augusta, 
hurried forward upon Columbia, cutting all the railways, 
burning all the bridges, tearing up the Virginia and South 
Carolina railwa}'', and leaving a starved and smoking wilder- 
ness behind him for the enemy's inheritance, should he turn 
to follow. 

Columbia's fall was a sad humiliation for the haughty 
proprietar}^, but its smouldering ruins proved how dead in 
earnest was the lion whom they so long had bearded and 
taunted and scorned. Leaving it behind, the invading army 
concentrated at Winnesboro'. Freed from the necessity of 
defense of Charleston and Columbia, Johnston held his en- 
tire forces in hand to oppose Sherman's further progress. 
Feeling assured by the concentration at Winnesboro' that 
Charlotte, in North Carolina, was the next point of attack, 
Johnston uncovered Fayetteville and Goldsboro', to confront 
the invader and crush him by a close-quarter fight. How 
wofully he was again mistaken he soon learned, when from 
Kocky Mount and Camden, on the Wateree, the two wings 
moved rapidly upon Cheraw, on the Great Pedee river. 
From thence, again massing his lines east of Sneedsboro', 
above Cheraw, Shernaan pushed on for Fayetteville via Lau- 



OF THE WAR, 457 

rel HilL IlarJee and Wade Hampton were at Fayetteville, 
but fled — " retired " — toward Goldsboro', but not until the 
thunderbolt of Kilpatrick's cavalry had been launched upon 
their rear, when Hampton had a sharp taste of Federal steel 
The captures of this expedition, up to the. 11th of March, 
were very heavy. The train of refugees, white and black, 
which "fell in " with the lines, soon became very burden- 
soma From every quarter they came, in all manner of 
vehicles — on horses, mules, oxen and cows — afoot, or carried 
on compassionate shoulders — loaded with everything con- 
ceivable to eat, drink, wear and housekeep — as happy as the 
Israelites after the passage of the Eed sea ; for, like therri, 
were the}^ not passing to the Promised Land? When the 
army reached Fa3^etteville these people numbered nearly or 
quite twcntij ihousand^ for whom Sherman had to provide 
not only iood. but a safe passaga The more material cap- 
tures a correspondent thus enumerated : 

*' Besides compelling them t© evacuate Cliarlestoa, we destroyed 
Columbia, Orangeburg, and several other places; also over fifty miles 
of their chief lines of railroad, and thousands of bales of cottom 
At Columbia we captured forty-three cannon, two hundred thou- 
sand cartridges, ten tons of powder, nine thousand rounds of fixed 
ammunition, about ten thousand niusketa, over one hundred Govera- 
tnent 2)resses, besides an immense amount of public stores, locomo- 
tives, rolling stock, and other kinds of Government stores too numer- 
ous to mention. At Cheraw we took twenty-five cannon, eight cais- 
sons, and two travelling forges, besides a large quantity of Oovern- 
ment stores of various kinds in the arsenal and elsewhere. At 
Fayetteville we took seventeen cannon, besides a large quantity of 
Government stores of various kinds in the arsenal and elsewhere. 
This makes eighty-five cannon (one-third of which were field pieces) 
with carriages, caissons and all complete. We captured aljout twenty- 
five thousand animals on our line of inarch." 

Communicating with Wilmington by means of a gun- 
boat — which, at great hazard and with commendable skill, 
was run up the river to Fayetteville — Sherman at once 
opened the river for supplies from below. Wilmington hav- 
ing but a few weeks previously fallen by the united assault 
of Terry's division of Grant's army and the fleet under Ad- 
(30 



458 INCIDENTS AND AUKCDuTKS 

miral Porter, became, for tlie moment, a base of supplies 
while Terra's troops moved to join Sherman's army, which 
at once prepared to disencumber itself of refugees, plunder 
etc., in order to confront the growing danger on their fiont. 
Johnston, foiled in his hope to fall upon the Federal host at 
Charlotte, swung his lines around Kaleigh and Goldtboro'. 
There, being joined by Bragg's and Breckenridge's com- 
mands and re-enforcements from Eichmond, he arranoed for 
a stroke which, it was confidently prophesied in Kicljmond, 
would first drive Schofield back in his advance from New- 
bern, and then, by falling upon Sherman, so crij)ple him as 
to prevent his further onward progress, and send him back 
toward the sea. 

To this consummation the enemy now bent all his ener- 
gies, assisted by the authorities in Eichmond to their fullest 
extent. The terrible progress, however, of Sheridan in his 
great raid to the north and west of the rebel capital — an- 
other one of Grant's grand diversions to cripple the ai-my of 
Lee in supplies, and to keep the rebels from concentrating 
upon Sherman — rendered it unsafe to spare many men for 
operations in North Carolina ; and Johnston found his entire 
strength, distributed from Raleigh to Kinston, to be less than 
forty thousand men. 

Sherman soon was on the war path again. March 14th 
he left Fayetteville to march upon Goldsboro' and Ealeigh. 
Before evacuating the town he made complete work of the 
destruction of the extensive areenal at that place. This ar- 
senal contained all the valuable material taken from the 
Harper's Ferry arsenal, and was the largest and most com- 
plete establishment of the kind in the South. The build- 
ings were torn down, the machinery destroyed, and all the 
tenement buildings burned. 

In addition to this destruction, every cotton mill in Fay- 
etteville — four or five in number — and several on the Eock- 
fish creek, were destroyed. These were all very large fac- 
tories, turning out vast amounts of material for clothing the 
rebel army. The building occupied by the Bank of the 



OF THE WAR. 459 

State of North CaroliDa, the residence of Mrs. M. Banks, a 
widow lady, and the elegant place of Mr, E. J. Hale, pro- 
prietor of the Observer newspaper, together with the news- 
paper establishment itself, and several old warehouses, were 
burned through the wantonness of the hangers-on of the 
army. 

Six small stern-wheel river steamers were burned at the 
wharf, but whether by our troops or rebel stragglers does not 
appear. They were the Dawson, Chatham^ Flora, Kate, 
Cdswell and Clarendon. The North Carolina and Hurt were 
saved, and were dispatched to Wilmington, loaded with ref- 
ugees. The negroes were consigned to Saxton, and soon 
found safe quarters on the sea islands. 

Schofield moved upon Kinston March 7th, and after a se- 
ries of sharp engagements with Bragg's forces under Gene- 
rals Hoke and Hill, compelled the enemy to retire (March 
10th) in considerable haste. The place was then fully occu- 
pied and immediate communication opened with Terry and 
Sherman's right wing. Sherman left to Schofield the occu- 
pancy of Goldsboro', which, like many other j^laces, was 
won by strategy. It was occupied without opposition, by 
Schofield, on the evening of March 25th. Sherman's feint 
by dispatching Slocum's column toward Raleigh compelled 
Johnston to draw in his lines for aTmal struggle, as he sup- 
posed, at and around Raleigh. Slocum's advance was obsti- 
nately contested by Johnston in person, having in hand 
Hardee's and Bragg's troops. "*■ 

At Averysboro', on the 16th, the enemy was found in 
strong force occupying hastily fortified lines running from 
the Cape Fear river to the Black river, and covering the 
forks of the main ruads— one leading to Raleigh, and the 
other to Goldsboro', A very severe and bloody struggle 
occurred, in which Kilpatrick's cavalry suffered severely. 
The horrible condition of the roads and the boggy nature of 
the country rendered supporting movements incredibly hard. 
Sherman in person was with tlie command, and only by the 
most Herculean exertions could the battle have been fought. 



460 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

It was fought, however, ana tne enemy was both flanked 
and forced from his well-laid lines. On the morning of the 
17th it was found that he had abandoned the place, and the 
line of march was continued on the Goldsboro' road — the 
"bummers" always on the advance. These "bummers" — 
who were a full brigade strong — were a set of army hang- 
ers-on — a self-organized band of adventurers and plunderers, 
whose reckless daring in keeping in advance of the main 
column served Sherman's purpose so well that he let the 
hardy rascals have their own way. These avant couriers 
came upon the enemy in force at and around Bentonville, 
when they sent back word to General Carlin, Sherman's ad- 
vance, to that effect. A battle followed on the 19th, in 
which Slocum's two corps were held steadily on Johnston's 
front, and finally were driven back over a mile. Things 
looked a little "squally" as the day closed Sherman, 1k)w- 
ever, by moving the two columns of Slocum and Iloward 
within easy supporting distance, had the latter on hand on 
the 20th, when Johnston was driven in upon Bentonville, 
and on the night of the 20th again decamped, leaving all of 
his wounded, and all the Federal wounded whom he had 
captured on the 19th, in the town. 

This left the way to Goldsboro' free from obstruction, 
and a junction of all the columns was made at that point. 
Sherman, thus placed, to co-operate with Grant in the final 
attack upon Eichmond, departed for City Point, Va., where 
a grand conference of commands was held, March 27th, and 
28th, Mr. Lincoln also being present. It was hardly ended 
before the two grand corps of l\Ieade and Ord were moving 
for the final assault on Eichmond, whose doom was sealed 
by that final culmination of Grant's far-reaching plans. 
And yet, with the pertinacity of insane men, and the wis- 
dom of fools, the enemy were even then shouting victory. 
On the 25th, the Eiclmiond Whig said : 

" The check administered b}'- Johnston to Slierman at Bentonville 
interferes essentially with the campaign of that cockawhoop leader 
and the combinations of Grant. The part assigned to Sherman was 



OF THE WAi:. 461 

the destruction of the railroad communications tlirouglrcentral North 
Carolina, the crowding back toward Richmond of our forces in that 
State, and tlie narrowing liy this means of the area of supply to Gen- 
eral Lee to such a degree that the withdrawal of his forces from this 
city would be inevitable. It is some time since the attempt to take 
this city by direct assault has been abandoned, and the grand scheme 
undertaken of bringing to bear upon it a force from the south strong 
enough to overcome all opposition, cut off all communication, and by 
gradual constriction compress it into surrender." 

All of which plans the Whig announced were frustrated, 
and one more blow on Sherman would scatter the enemies 
of the Confederacy to the winds. The Eichmond Sentinel^ 
of the same date, said : 

*' The prestige of the blustering bluffer is lost. lie has been called, 
and his hand is disclosed, and his weakness is patent. Our men feel 
now that they can Avhip him, and they mean to do it. Here, on North 
Carolina soil they mean to bring his presumptuous career to a close. 
He has no resource's to draw upon; his full strength has been devel- 
oped, and is insufficient ; while General Johnston is awaking enthusi- 
asm from Virginia to Mississii^pi. The tone of the public confidence 
is daily improving, and all except the contemptible tories, who harbor 
the desire of their country's overthrow, are elated at prospect of the 
coming victories. At the last accounts Sherman had gone to dig- 
ging, and a merry time he will have this summer in digging his way 
through the pine forests of North Carolina. About his present loca- 
tion he will find whortleberries the chief fruit, and mosquitos a local 
population."* 

Had the fellows who penned such stuff realized that, even 
as thej wrote, the very hour of their doom was scaled, it 
would have made no change in their gasconade. It was by 
such monstrous and systematic deception, practiced through- 
out the war, that the rebel troops were kept in heart. The 
Southern rank and file were lured into the struggle by false- 
hood, they were kept in the ranks by deception, and were, 
eventually, crushed, still believing in their power to cope 
with energies vast enough to crush out two such armies as 
Lee could command 



XLIII. 

THE CLOSING SCENE. 

For many months the tireless Grant had been carrying 
forward his grandly conceived plans for the final annihilation 
of the Confederates' only remaining army. Shut up within 
the almost impregnable defenses of Kichmond, Lee's army 
was secure until his sources of supply could be destroyed, 
and that could only be accomplished, fully, by the appear- 
ance of Sherman at Raleigh. "When it was rendered assured 
that Sherman would fufil his task and be at Raleigh in the 
early weeks of April, Sheridan was dispatched from Win- 
chester with orders to make a sudden rush up the Shenan- 
doah valley, scatter the forces of Early and Rosser then at 
Staunton, move on toward Lynchburg, destro^'ing railways 
and bridges on the way, commit all the havoc possible be- 
tween Lynchburg and Richmond, then make a rush for 
Grant's lines by way of ITanover and the White House. 

All of which was successfully and thoroughly accom- 
plished, and Lee was given a staggering blow by the sever- 
erance of one of his main avenues of supply. Sheridan's 
movements were thus noticed, at the time, when his troopers 
were announced as having arrived (March 19th) in safety at 
White House, on the Pamunky : 

" He advanced to within fifteen miles of Lynchburg, and came 
Tfithin twelve of Richmond. Not a bridge is left on the James be- 
tween the two cities, and not a railroad bridge between Staunton and 
Charlotteville. 

" His destruction of the canal is thorough. One viaduct could not 
be rebuilt in six inonths in time of peace. In one or two places the 
river was turned into the canal, and washed it out fifteen feet below 
the level for miles. 

" He carried consternation everywhere, and mystified the rebels by 



OF T U E W A E . 463 

the celerity of liis movements. The roads were tbc worst ever trav- 
ersed or conceived, and the mud indescribably deep. The enemy 
thought it imjiossible for him to pass over some of them, and reck- 
oned accordingly. 

" His men will soon be ready for anything." 

jle did not rest there long, for Grant's final movement for 
the possession of the railways west of Petersburg was or- 
dered even before the arrival of Sherman at the City Point 
conference, March 27th. Sheridan was given the initiatory 
and the advance in this important step, with orders to move 
around Petersburg and destroy the South Side railroad. 
Foreseeing that this must bring on a general engagement, 
Grant made disposition, accordingly, by ordering his whole 
available force into the field, and placing them on a line 
■which would render an opening by Sheridan a signal for the 
grand stroke for the rebel capital. Sheridan was immedi- 
ately sujiported by the 5th Corps, which was also placed 
under his command. The 2d Corps stood next on the right ; 
then were to follow the 24th, 25th, 6th and 9th Corps. 
Grant, in person, was on the ground, with the advance. 

March 29th, the powerful cavalry force of Sheridan 
" opened the ball " by moving out on the Jerusalem plank 
road, and thence across the Weldon railway into the Vaughn 
road to Dinwiddle C. H. The enemy soon was upon him 
in such force that, on the 81st, in a severely contested fight, 
Sheridan's divisions were driven in from their several posi- 
tions, and night found them in closer quarters than was de- 
sirable. But the morrow brought a change; for by that 
time the divisions of Merritt, Devin, Custer, and the com- 
mand of Major General Crooks, were well in hand, and ad- 
vanced promptly to their work, while the 5th Corps had got 
on the ground, ready for action. The enemy, after severe 
labor and much loss, was pressed in upon the position known 
as the Five Fork, where a heavy battle was fought, April 
1st, the opening of the great series by which the rebel capi- 
tal was won, Lee's army captured, and the end of the Con- 
federacy determined. The first assault of the cavalry was 



9:64 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

not sustained bj tlie otli Corps troops, and proved a failure ; 
whereupon Sberidau assumed the leadership in person, and, 
by a tremendous burst of strength, carried the enemy's 
works with a completeness which rendered escape impossible 
for about five thousand of their number. It was a terrific 
struggle, contested by the rebels with the resolution of des- 
peration. The enemy's force consisted of the infontry di- 
visions of Anderson, Pickett, and the cavalry divisions of 
Generals Fitz Hugh Lee, and W. H. Lee. Sheridan's wild 
valor and magnificent generalship on this day proved him to 
be equal to almost any emergency. 

About four thousand prisoners were secured on the field, 
and the pursuit at once pressed as rapidly as the deep mud 
would permit. Mr. Lincoln still remained at City Point to 
watch and wait the issue of the mighty struggle which seemed 
at hand. With him Grant was in constant communication 
by telegraph, and through him the country was kept fully 
informed of the results of each movement as they were de- 
terminated. 

The 2d Corps, General Humphrey, conjoined the line of 
the 5th Corps, and was also severely engaged with Bushrod 
Johnson's division, of A. P. Hill's corps. Miles' division 
did the fighting chiefly, and with perfect success, driving in 
the enemy and securing about three hundred prisoners. 

All this uncovered the South Side railroad, and afibrded 
the moment for the anticipated attack along the whole line, 
reaching from the front of Petersburg around its north side 
and to the position won by Sheridan and Warren. On the 
night of the 1st the order went forth, and a tremendous can- 
nonade followed, during the latter part of the night, upon 
the enemy's several fortified positions covering the numerous 
approaches. The assault followed, at daybreak on the 2d. 
The dispatches from Mr. Lincoln to the War Department, 
which now announced results of these important movements, 
tell their own story so well that they should be given. How 
they electrified the country can hardly be imagined : 



OF THE W A K , 405 

" City Point, Va., April 2, 1SG5— 8.30 a. ji, 
'^ Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War : 

"Last night General Grant telegTajjlied that General Sheridan, 
■with his cavalry and the 5th Corps, liad captured three brigades of 
infantry, a train of wagons, and several batteries — the prisonei'3 
amounting to several thousand. 

"This morning. General Grant having ordered an attack alou^^ the 
whole line, telegraphs as follows : 

"Both Wright and Parke got through the enemy's lines. The bat- 
tle now rages furiously. General Sheridan, with his cavalry, the 5th 
Corps, and Miles' division, of the 2d Corps, which was sent to him 
this morning, is now sweeping down from the west. 

"All now looks highly favorable. General Ord is engaged, but I 
have not yet heard the result in his front. A. LINCOLN." 

"11 A. M. — Dispatches are frequently coming in. All is going on 
finely. General Parke's, Wright's and Ord's lines are extending from 
the Appomattox to Hatcher's run. They have all l^roken through 
the enemy's intrenched lines, taking some forts, guns and prisoners. 

" Sheridan, with his own cavalry, the 5th Corps, and part of the 
2d, is coming in from the west on the enemy's flank. Wright is al- 
ready tearing up the Soutli Side railroad." 

"2 p. M. — At 10.45 A. M., General Grant telegrajihs as follows: 
"Everything has been carried from the left of the 9th Corps. The 
Gth Corps alone captured more than three thousand prisoners. The 
2d and 24th Corps captured forts, guns and prisoners from the enemy, 
but I cannot tell the numbers. We are now closing around the works 
of the line immediately enveloping Petersburg. All looks remark- 
ably well. I have not yet heard from Sheridan. Ilis headquarters 
have been moved up to Banks' House, near the Boydtown road, about 
three miles southwest of Petersburg." 

" 8.30 p. M. — At 4.34 p. M. to-day, General Grant telegraphs as 
follows : 

"We are now uj:), and have a continuous line of troops, and in a few 
hours will be entrenched from the Appomattox below Petersburg to 
the river above. The whole captures since the army started out will 
not amount to less than twelve thousand men, and probably fifty 
pieces of artillery ; I do not know the number of men and guns accu- 
rately, however. A portion of Foster's division (24th Corps) made a 
most gallant charge this afternoon, and captured a very important 
fort from the enemy with its entire garrison. 

"All seems well with us, and everything is quiet just now," 

It was evident to the country that the crisis had indeed 
61 _ ' '■ 



466 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

come. Tlie wildest rumors flew from city to city. Eaclj 
hour word was passed along the wires of Kiclimond's fall; 
but that event, though really consummated jy the result of 
the day's work (April 2d), was not officially announced until 
the next day, when the following telegrams told the gkd 
storj' : 

" City Poiirr, Va., Z^Ionday, April 3— O.CO a. m, 
" To the lion. Ldwiii M. Stanton, Secretary of War : 

"This morning Licutcnant-Genorul Grant reports Petersburg evac- 
uated, and lie is confident tliat Richmond also is evacuated. 

" He is pushing forward to cut off, if possible, the retreating rebel 
army. A. LI>sCOLN." 

"City Point, Va., Monday, April 3—11 a. m. 
*' To Ediciii IF. Stanton, Secretary of War : 

" General Wietzcl telegraphs as follows : 

" We took Richmond at 8.15 this morning. I captured many 
guns, the enemy left in great haste. The city is on fire in one place. 
Am making every effort to put it out. 

" The people receive us with enthusiastic exi^ressions of jnj'. 

" General Grant started early this morning -with the army toward 
the Danville road, to cut off Lee's retreating army, if possible. 

" President Lincoln has gone to the front. 

T. S. BOWERS, A. A. Gen." 

Then followed in the North such rejoicings as few men 
ever will live again to witness, and in the South, such dis- 
may as only guilty men, foiled in a gigantic scheme of vil- 
lainy, can feel. Then, also, commenced that wonderful race 
for escape on the part of Lee, and the splendid services of 
Sheridan and his supporting corps in cutting oft" the retreat, 
to secure Grant's long expected prize — the whole of Lee's 
army. The story of the pursuit and final capture of the 
Confederate host, the interview between Grant and Lee, and 
the particulars of the surrender were thus graphically nar- 
rated by a correspondent who witnessed the memoi'able cir- 
cumstance. Writing under date of April 12th, he said : 

"When Lee began his retreat he crossed the Appomattox and 
moved westwardly with rapidity, while Grant followed with part of 
his force directly in Lee's rear, and with the remainder of his infantry 
and Sheridan's cavalry, he struck out parallel with and on both sides 



OF THE WAR. 467 

of the South Side raih'oad, for Burkesville, fifty-three miles -west of 
Petersburg, where the Danville road crosses the South Side railroad. 
Ey the most Herculean efforts, the troops being cheered by the pros- 
jDoct of cutting off the rebel retreat, our forces reached Burkesville 
first, and the Danville railroad was no longer available to Lee. la 
the meantime Sheridan had most sorely harrassed Lee's several re- 
treating columns, and at Harper's Farm, on Thursday afternoon last, 
with the assistance of the 5th and 6th Corps, completely cut off and 
captured Ewell's entire column of nine thousand men, several general 
officers, fifteen field pieces of artillery, twenty-nine battle-flags, and 
six miles of wagon trains. 

" The details of this engagement are forwarded by your correspond- 
ent. Captain Paul, who witnessed it. The Appomattox west of Pe- 
tersburg is a very crooked stream, and has many tributaries, the 
country being rough and hilly. Lee was compelled to keep mainly 
north of the stream, on tlie line of the old stage road from Lynchburg 
to Richmond. 

" After reaching Burkesville, General Meade, with the greater por- 
tion of the Army of the Potomac, took up the pursuit on tlie north 
side of the railroad, while Sheridan's cavalry and Ord's 24th Corps 
moved rapidly along the south side of the road, Sheridan being con- 
stantly on Lee's flanks, frequently compelling him to halt and form line 
of battle, and as often engaging him, cutting off detachments, pick- 
ing up stragglers, capturing cannon without number, and demoraliz- 
ing the enemy at every stand. On Friday, at Farmville, sixteen miles 
west of Burkesville, a considerable engagement occurred, in which 
the 2d Corps jjarticipated largely and suffered some loss. Here Gen- 
eral Thomas A. Smith, commanding a brigade in the Second division 
of the 2d Corps, was killed wliile on the skirmish line ; and in a 
charge subsequently General Mott, commanding the Third division 
of the same corps, was wounded. Other troops Avere brought up, tut 
before they could be re-engaged they were on the retreat again. At 
High bridge, over the Appomattox, Lee again crossed to the north 
side of the river, and two of our regiments — the Fifty-fourth Penn- 
sylvania and One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio — which were sent 
there to hold the bridge, were captured by a strong rebel cavalry 
force. The railroad bridge at this j^oint, a very high and long struc- 
ture, was burned by the enemy. Lee now headed for Lynchburg, in 
the hope of reaching a point where he could move around the front 
of our left wing, and escape toward Danville by a road which runs 
directly south from a point about twenty miles south of Lynchburg. 
But Grant was too vigorous — the pursuit was too hot. Lee's rear and 



468 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

flanks were so sorely pressed that he -was compelled to skirmish nearly 
every step, and to destroy or abandon an immense amount of prop- 
erty, while Sheridan was rapidly shooting ahead of him. The posi- 
tion, therefore, on Sunday morning, was one from which Lee could 
not possibly extricate himself. His army lay massed a short dis- 
tance west of Appomattox Court-House ; his last avenue of escape 
toward Danville on the southwest was gone ; he was completely 
hemmed in ; Jleade was in his rear, on the east, and on his right 
flank north of Appomattox Court-House; Sheridan had headed him 
off completely, by getting between him and Lynchburg; General Ord 
was on the south of the court-house, near the railroad ; the troops 
were in the most enthusiastic spirits, and the rebel army was doomed. 
Lee's last effort to escape was made on Sunday morning, by attempt- 
ing to cut his way through Sheridan's lines, but he totally failed. 

"It will be recollected that General Grant's first letter to Lee was 
dated on the 7th (Friday), the day of the battle of Farmville, and 
the correspondence was kej^t up during the following day, and up to 
eleven o'clock on Sunday, as already published. In resjjonse to Gen- 
eral Grant's last letter, General Lee appeared on the picket line of the 
2d Corps, IMiles' division, with a letter addressed to General Meade, 
requesting a cessation of hostilities while he considered General 
Grant's terms of surrender. General Meade replied that he had no 
authority to accede to the request, but that he would wait two hours 
before making an attack. In the meantime General Grant sent word 
to General Meade that he would be up in half an hour, and the mat- 
ter was turned over to him. A flag of truce proceeded to Appomat- 
tox Court-House shortly after noon, and about two o'clock p. m. the 
two Generals met at the house of Mr. William McLean. General Lee 
was attended by General jMarshal, his Adjutant-General ; General 
Grant by Colonel Parker, one of his chief Aides-de-Camp. The two 
Generals met and greeted each other with dignified courtesy, and pro- 
ceeded at once to the business before them. General Lee immedi- 
ately alluded to the conditions of the surrender, characterized them 
as exceedingly lenient, and said he would gladly leave the details to 
General Grant's own discretion. General Grant stated the terms of 
the parole : that the arms should be stacked, the artillery parked, the 
supplies and munitions turned over to him, the officers retaining their 
side-arms, horses and personal effects. General Lee promptly assent- 
ed to the conditions, and the agreement of surrender was engrossed 
and signed by General Lee at half past three o'clock. 

" General Lee asked General Grant for an interpretation of the 
phrase ' personal effects,' and said that many of his cavalrymen owned 
their horses. General Grant said he construed it to me? that the 



OF THE WAR. 469 

horses must be turned over to the United States Government. Gene- 
ral Lee admitted the correctness and justness of the interpretation, 
■\vheii General Grant said he would instruct his officers to allow those 
men who owned their horses to retain them, as they would need them 
for the purpose of tilling their farms. General Lee expressed a great 
sense of gratification for such a generous consideration, and said it 
•would have a very good effect. He subsequently expressed a hope 
that each soldier might be furnished with a certificate of his parole, 
as evidence to prevent him from being forced into the army until 
regularly exchanged. General Grant assented to the suggestion, and 
the printing presses were soon jjut to work to print the documents 
required. 

" In regard to the strength of his army, General Lee said he had 
no idea of the number of men lie should be able to deliver up. There 
had been so many engagements, and such heavy losses from desertion 
and other causes within the past few days, and the retreat so rapid, 
that no regular morning reports had been made since leaving Peters- 
burg ; but it is generally believed by the best informed officers that 
Lee surrendered eighteen to twenty thousand men. Of the army 
horses, wagons, etc., there is yet no official account. General Lee 
informed General Grant that his men were short of provisions, where- 
upon General Grant ordered twenty-five thousand rations to be dis- 
tributed to them. Thus, substantially, ended the interview. Both 
Generals were the very impersonation of dignity and courtesy in their 
bearing. Lee is iai fine health, and though apparently impressed with 
the vital effect and importance of the act he was performing, he was 
cheerful and pleasant in his demeanor. The house where the stipu- 
lations w^ere signed was a fair brick structure, with neat grounds, and 
quite neatly furnished. The room in which the interview took place 
was a comfortable parlor, about eighteen by twenty feet, and adorned 
by the usual furnishing common to the average of Virginia houses. 

Both Generals were attired in full uniform. Lee wore a very fine 
sword. Grant had no side-arms, having left camp the day previous 
with the intention of being gone but a few hours, but, on the con- 
trary, being gone all night. When the two Generals first met they 
were attended only by the staff officers already mentioned ; but dur- 
ing the interview several of our officers entered and were introduced 
to General Lee, who received them cordially, and made no objection 
to their presence. They were Major-Generals Ord and Sheridan ; 
Brevet Major-General lugalls ; Brigadier-Generals Williams, Rawlins 
and Barnard ; Lieutenant-Colonels Parker, Dent, Bedeau, Bowers, 
A. A. G., Porter, Babcock, and Captain Lincoln ; Tal. P. Shaffner, Esq., 
•was the only civilian present ^ 



470 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"It should be said that General Grant had anticipated the surren- 
der for several da3-s, and had resolved beforehand not to require the 
same formalities wliicli arc required in a surrender between the forces 
of two foreign nations or belligerent powers ; that they were our own 
people, and to exact no conditions for the purpose of humiliation, 

"After the interview, General Lee returned to his own camp, about 
half a mile distant, ■where his leading officers were assembled await- 
ing his return. 

"He announced the result and the terms, whereupon they ex- 
pressed great satisfaction at the leniency of the conditions. They 
then approached him in order of rank, shook hands, expressing satis- 
faction at his course and their regret at parting, all shedding tears on 
the occasion. 

" The fact of surrender and the liberal terms were then announced 
to the troops, and Avheu General Lee appeared among them he waa 
loudly cheered. 

" On Monday, between nine and ten o'clock A. M. General Grant 
and staff rode out in the direction of the rebel lines, and on a hill 
just beyond the court-house, where a full view of the rebel army 
could be obtained. General Lee Avas met, attended by but one statf 
officer and orderlies. The Generals halted, and, seated on their horse?, 
conversed for nearly an hour upon the prospects of the future, each 
seeming to realize the mighty influence which the events of the pres- 
ent were to have upon it. General Lee signified very emphatically 
his desire for a total cessation of hostilities, and indicated his inten- 
tion to do all in his power to effect that end. The best of good feel- 
ing prevailed. This was the last interview between the commanders. 
General Grant returned to ]\IcLean's house, and soon after, Generals 
Longstrcet, Gordon, Pickett and Heth, with a number of staff offi- 
cers, arrived, and after recognitions and introductions, an hour of 
very friendly intercourse took place, during which many scenes and 
incidents of by-gone college days and days of service together in the 
regular army were revived and retold with much good nature, 

" General Grant gave General Lee and his principal officers jjasses 
to proceeded Avhither they wished. The parties then separated, and 
early on Tuesday morning General Grant and staff left the scene of 
the great event for their headquarters at City Point, arriving at half 
past four A. M. to-day. General Meade was left in command to super- 
intend the details of the surrender, which would occui^y several days, 
the work of providing each man and officer with an individual parole 
being a slow and tedious one. Part of them are written and jjart 
printed on the little printing presses which accompany the head- 
quarters. 



OF THE WAR. 471 

" Thus, in exactly two weeks, to almost an hour, from the time Gen- 
eral Grant and staff broke up their headquarters at City Point for the 
Sirring campaign, they return with that campaign not only complete, 
but the entire opposing army destroyed and the war substantially 
closed. The complete character of the destruction of Lee's army thus 
accomplished, forcibly appears fiom these facts, viz. : That when the 
oi)erations began two weeks ago, his army numbered not less than 
sixty-five thousand men ; that we have captured from him twenty- 
five thousand prisoners ; that his killed and wounded are not less than 
fourteen thousand ; and that the balance of the army deserted on the 
retreat, or fell into our hands at the surrender. 

" The congratulations at headquarters this morning were very 
hearty." 

Tlie congratulations must, indeed, have been hearty. To 

Grant — the patient, tireless, hopeful, far-seeing and self-con- 
fident man — it must have been a sublime moment; for, not 
only was his great victory won, but the end of the rebellion 
came with that terrible, annihilating blow. 

The closing in of Sherman around Raleigh left no hope 
for the only remaining rebel army under Johnston, while 
the pressure of the irrepressible Stoneman, off to the west, 
on the roads leading into East Tennessee, blocked up that 
avenue of escape — so comprehensive and yet minute had 
been Grant's magnificent jilans. 

Johnston, therefore, could do nothing else than surrender; 
for to fight the combined armies of Sherman, Schofield and 
Terry was mere madness, dispirited and demoralized as his 
men were by Lee's defeat, and the presence in their vicinity 
of all that was left of the rebel Government, ready to seek 
refuge in a flight to Texas. Davis and Breckenridge both 
counseled Johnston to the surrender, and the latter as Secre- 
tary of AYar. was present at the second conference held 
between Johnston and Sherman to assist his General in ob- 
taining terms. The movement of Sherman after his return 
from the conference with Grant at City Point were directed 
upon Raleigh, to throw his forces across Lee's line of retreat, 
should the rebel leader succeed in escaping Grant's clutches. 
With this view he moved from Goldsboro', but had hardly 
done so when informed that Raleigh was abandoned by 



472 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Johnston. April 12th, a committee of citizens of the place 
proceeded to Sherman's headquarters at Clayton Station and 
formally surrendered the city. April 13th, Kilpatrick — ever 
the avant courier of that all-conquering host — entered and 
took possession, amid the I'eal, heart-felt rejoicings of the 
people, who had for days lived in a state of terror from the 
brutal conduct of the rebels in possession. Kilpatrick en- 
tered the town to find some of AVheeler's miscreants at their 
usual work of pillage and murder. He soon had tlie scoun- 
drels flying before his troopers, and the First division of the 
14th Corps, General C. C. Walcott, marching in, soon had the 
city under severe police regulation. This incident, one of 
many which happened, was reported : 

"After the city had been formally surrendered, and while Kilpat- 
rick "vvas marching through the town, an officer belonging to Whee- 
ler's command, who, with some of his men, Avere engaged in plunder- 
ing a store near the Market House, rushed into the street and lired 
his revolver at Kilpatrick, who was riding at the head of the column ; 
the ball fortunately missed Kilpatrick, but wounded one of his staff. 
Chase was instantly made, and the ruffian captured. In less than ten 
minutes he was swinging by his neck from a tree." 

Johnston retreated from Ealeigh through Ilillsboro' to 
Greensboro', the main body of his army encamping around 
the junction of the railroads at the latter place. There 
Davis and his Cabinet were, with all their archives and mov- 
able property saved in the hasty flight from Richmond. 
From thence came the offers of surrender, already noted. 
The first conference was sought by Johnston, on the 15th. 
On the 14th, a flag of truce was sent into Raleigh, asking 
for an armistice and a statement of the best terms which 
Sherman would extend for the surrender of the Confederate 
forces under his (Johnston's) command. ^ General Sherman 
sent out Colonel McCoy on the loth with his ultimatum, 
and, after some two days' delay, during which General John- 
ston's efforts were somewhat embarrassed by the refractory 
and mutinous position of AVade Hampton, of South Caro- 
lina, a personal interview took place between the two chiefs 
of the opposing armies at Bennett's house, five miles beyond 



OF THE V/AR. 473 

Burliam's Station, on the Nortli Carolina railroad, midway 
between the lines. 

The conference was strictly private, only Wade Hampton 
being present with General Johnston on the first day, Mon- 
day, April 17th, and John C. Breckenridge taking Hamp- 
ton's plaec on the second day, Tuesday. The only members 
of the rebel staff present were Captains Johnston and Hamp- 
ton, the latter a son of the rebel South Carolinian, and a 
chip of the old block. The Generals were treated with in 
their characters as simply commanders of the insurrection- 
ary forces. The Southern Confederacy was not recognized, 
although Jefferson Davis was understood to be a party con- 
senting to the surrender. 

These terms, which gave rise to a great deal of feeling in 
the North, and were severely censured by the authorities at 
Washington, were as follows: 

■" MEMORANDUM- 

^ Memorandum of bases of agreement made this 18tli day of April, 
A. D. 18ij5, near Durliain''s Station, and in the State of Nortli Caro- 
lina, by and between General Joseiih E. Jolinston, commanding the 
Confederate arm}', and Major-General William T, Sherman, com- 
manding the a,rmy of the United States, iu North Carolina, both 
present: 

" 1st — The contending armies now in the field to maintain their 
statu qua until notice is given by the c<immanding General of either 
one to its ojiponent, and reasonable time— say forty-eight hours — 
allowed, 

" 2d — The Confederate armies now in existence to be disl^anded 
and conducted to their several State capitals; there to de^wsit their 
arms and public property in the State arsenal, and each officer and 
man to execute and file an agreement to cease from acts of war and 
abide the action of both State and Federal authorities. The number 
of arms and munitions of war to be reported to the Chief of Ord- 
nance at Washington citj', subject to the future action of the Con- 
gress of the United States, and in the meantime to ix; used solely to 
maintain peace and order within the borders of the States respect- 
ively. 

'' 3d— The recognition by the Executive of the United States of the 
stiveral State governments, on their officers and Legislatures taking 
the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the United States ; and 
62 



474 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

where conflicting State governments have resulted from lite war the 
legitimacy of all shall be submitted to the Supreme Court of the 
United States. 

"4th — The re-establishment of all Federal courts in the several 
States, with powers as detined by the Constitution and laws of 
Congress. 

" 5th — The people and inhabitants of all States to be guaranteed, 
so far as the Executive can, their political rights and franchise, as welt 
as their rights of person and property, as defined by the Constitutioa 
of the United States and of States respectively. 

"6th — The Executive authority of the Government of the United 
States not to disturb any of the people by reason of the late. war so 
long as they live in jjeace and quiet, abstain from acts of armed hos- 
tility, and obey laws in existence at any place of their residence. 

" 7th — In general terms war to cease ; a general amnesty, so far as 
the Executive power of the United States can command, or on condi- 
tion of disbandment of the Confederate armies, and the distributioa 
of arms and resumption of peaceful pursuits I)y officers and men 
hitherto composing the said armies. Not being fully empowered by 
our resijective j^rincipals to flilfil these terms, we individually and of- 
ficially pledge ourselves to promptly obtain neeessary authority to 
carry out the above programme." 

Mr. Lincoln was assassinated April 14th, Sherman heard 
the news upon tlie moment of his setting out for the confer- 
ence, but kept it from his officers and men, well realizing 
that, in their exasperation, they would scorn any terms with 
the enemy. His anxiety to place the rebel army in a state 
of practical dissolution, without any farther shedding of 
blood, induced him to accept the terms above — understood 
to have been " engineered " by Breckenridge ; but wisely 
stipulating for their acceptance or rejection by the authori- 
ties at Washington, the Federal commander really only for- 
warded Johnston's proposition for terms which should end 
the war and outlaw all other rebel bodies still in the field. 
In the meantime an armistice was to prevail, and, as Sher- 
man well foresaw, the rapid disintegration of Johnston's 
army went on by desertion. Large numbers of troops would 
pass out of camp in a body, and no power existed to stay 
their homeward march — so fully did the idea prevail that 
the end had come. Another conseq^uence followed, not the 



OF THE WAR. 475 

least material result aimed at by Breckenridge in soliciting 
the armistice : it gave Davis and his confederates a few days' 
time for escape — which they wisely improved, for by the 
20th they were all far on their way toward the Florida ever- 
glades, from whence to escape to the Bahamas and Cuba. 
Thus was Sherman's generosity made available in thwarting 
the bodily capture of the rebel Government functionaries, 
their archives and their treasure. Before departing, Davis 
issued, from Danville, an address to his constituency in and 
out of arms, stating that they must keep up good heart, as 
he was resolved to fight it out on another line ! 

General Grant, his work being done, had gone North for 
a respite, and was in Washington at the moment of the re- 
ception of Sherman's message. A Cabinet meeting at once 
was called ; the entire proceeding was repudiated, and Grant 
was dispatched to Raleigh to enforce an order for an imme- 
diate attack upon Johnston to compel him to unconditional 
surrender, leaving "terms" to be dictated by the conquerors. 
The causes of this action were set forth in a paper published 
in conjunction with the announcement of Sherman's "Mem- 
orandum," and were as follows : 

" 1st — It Avas an exercise of authority not vested in General Sher- 
man, and on its face shows that both lie and Johnston knew that he 
(General Sherman) had no authority to enter into any such arrange- 
ment. 

" 2d — It was a practical acknowledgment of the rebel Government. 

" 3d — It undertook to re-cstal)lish the rebel State governments that 
had been overthrown at the sacrifice of many thousand loyal lives 
and an immense treasure, and placed arms and munitions of war in 
the hands of the rebels at their respective capitals, which might be 
used as soon as the armies of the United States were disbanded, and 
used to conquer and subdue the loyal States. 

"4th — By the restoration of the rebel authority in their respective 
States they would be enaljled to re-establish slavery. 

'• 5th — It might furnish a ground of responsibility on the Federal 
Government to pay the rebel debt, and certainly suljjects loyal citi- 
zens of the rebel States to the debt contracted by the rebels in the 
name of the State. 
• " Cth — It put iu dispute the existence of loyal State governments 



476 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and the new State of West Virginia, which had been recognized by 
every Department of the United States Government. 

" 7th — It practically abolished the confiscation laws, and relieved 
rebels of every degree, who had slaughtered our jJeople, from all jsains 
and penalties for their crimes. 

"8th — It gave terms that had been repeatedly, deliberately and sol- 
emnly rejected by President Lincoln, and better terms than the rebels 
had ever asked in their most prosperous condition. 

" 9th — It formed no basis of true and lasting jieace, but relieved 
rebels from the i)ressure of our victories, and left them in condition 
to renew their eifort to overthrow the United States Government, and 
subdue the loyal States, whenever their strength was recruited and 
any opportunity should offer." 

Sherman, regarding hostilities as virtually at an end, pro- 
mulgated the following order: 

*' Headquarters Milttary Divisiox op the Mississippi, 
In the Field, RAleigh, N. C, April 19, 1865. 

"The General commanding announces to the army a suspension of 
hostilities, and an agreement with General Johnston and high offi- 
cials, which, Avhen formally ratified, will make i)eace from the Poto- 
mac to the Rio Grande. Until the absolute peace is arranged, a line 
passsing through Tyrrell's Mount, Chapel Hill University, Durham's 
Station and West Point, on the Neuse river, will separate the two 
armies. Each army commander will group his camps entirely with a 
view to comfort, health and good jDolice. All the details of military 
discipline must still l>e maintained ; and the General hopes and be- 
lieves that in a very few days it will be his good fortune to conduct 
you all to your homes. 

"The fame of this army for courage, industry and discipline is ad- 
mitted all over the world. Then let each officer and man see that it 
is not stained l)y any act of vulgarity, rowdyism or petty crime. The 
cavalry will patrol the front of the line. General Howard will lake 
charge of the district from Raleigh uj) to the cavalry ; General Slo- 
cum to the left of Raleigh, and General Schofield in Raleigh, its right 
and rear. Quartermasters and commissaries will keep their supplies 
up to a light load for the wagons, and the railroad superintendent 
will arrange a depot for the convenience of each separate army. By 
order of Major-General W. T. SHERMAN. 

" L. M. Dayton, Assistant Adjutant-General." 

Grant reached Ruleigli April 24th. lie was met twenty 
mrles out of the city by Sherman, who, being informed of 
the Government's^ wishes, acceded to them with -alacrity, and 



OF TnE WAR. 47T 

dispatched word to Johnston to prepare for hostilities. The 
rebel was given until the morning of the 26th to make an 
unconditional surrender, when, if such was not made, the 
Federal army would march against him. The 26th brought 
the required surrender, and Grant returned at once to the 
North to announce the war virtually at an end. In two 
days' time Sherman's three grand columns, under Howard 
and Slocum, were en route for home ! Schofield's corps re- 
mained to garrison North Carolina ; Kilpatrick started off 
in pursuit of Davis; Stoneman did the same, moving from 
Morgantown, where he then was; while Wilson, then on his 
great raid in Georgia, moved also upon the hunted man's 
path. To a detachment of Wilson's command fell the 
honor of capturing the fugitive. The following dispatch 
told the story : 

"Macon, Ga., May 12—11 a. m. 
^'^ Lieutenant- General XT. 8. Grant, and Hon. Secretary of War, Wash- 
ington, D. C. : 

"I have the honor to report that at daylight of the 10th instant, 
Colonel Pritchard, commanding the Fourtli Michigan cavalry, cap- 
tured Jeif. Davis and family, with Regan, Postmaster General ; Colo- 
nel Harrison, Private Secretary'; Colonel Johnson, Aide-de-Camp ; 
Colonel Morris, Colonel Lubbick, Lieutenant Hathaway, and others. 

" Colonel Pritchard surprised their camp at Irwinsvillc, in Irwin 
county, Ga., sevenfy-five miles southeast of this place. 

" Tliey will be here to-morrow night, and will be forwarded under 
strong guard without delay. 

" I will send further particulars at once. ; 

" J. H. WILSON, Brevet Major-General." \ 



XLIV. 

rebellion's greatest crime. 

'The assassination of Abraham Lincoln, on the evening 
of April 14th, 1865, darkens the historic record as one of 
the most detestable crimes of modern times. Ilad it oc- 
curred in earlier stages of the war, when the madmen of the 
revolting States were in their first frenzy of rage and hate, it 
might have taken on the semblance of an excuse — such an 
excuse as would be extended to the man possessed, momen- 
taril}^, of the spirit of the devil ; but, committed when the 
Confederate cause was irretrievably lost, and its representa- 
tives were fugitives from arrest for their treason — when the 
sublime attributes of the Federal Executive's character be- 
gan to shine out lustrously with charity and forgiveness, the 
assassination stands alone on the page of history as a deed 
without parallel for pure atrocity. 

It was conceived for several months before its execution, 
by John Wilkes Booth, who, under the pretense of seizing 
the President and bearing him off a prisoner, enlisted as ac- 
complices a number of persons — all of a low stamp. But, 
two distinct attempts at a seizure having been thwarted, and 
the news of the fall of Richmond having been announced, 
several of the men withdrew from the enterprise and ab- 
solved themselves from any fuither complicity in the matter. 
Booth, however, had deeper designs than a seizure, and so 
preserved his hold upon several of his confederates as to 
give him co-operation in the desperate act upon which he 
was resolved — finding, in one or two men, creatures after his 
own stamp for desperation, and devotion to a fate which all 
knew must await them in event of their taking the lives in- 
tended. The last plans, as matured by these men, involved 
the assassination of the President, Vice-President, Secretary 



OF THE WAR. 479 

of State, Secretary of War, and probably, of General Grant 
— though the latter mtist have been suddenly added to the 
list, only having been in Washington a day or two prior to 
the tragedy. The hope was to precipitate a disorganization 
of the Government, during which a counter revolution would 
follow, whereby the South might regain its position in the 
Union without loss of its institutions or its old prestige ia 
Congress. It was a mad hope, at best ; and the means most 
sure to consummate a thorough subjugation of the rebel- 
lious spirit was to take off the very men whom the people 
venerated, and whose death would stir up the most intense 
feelings of horror and hate. 

Booth, though belonging to a well known family, was too 
deeply inoculated with the accursed virus of slavery to be 
other than what he was — a wild domineei'ing, quarrelsome 
egotist, given to licentiousness as most young Soia'hern 
"bloods" were, with a mind incapable of appreciating the 
qualities of virtue and wisdom. A long habitue of the stage, 
he had all the vices, with few of its very few virtues. His 
associates were "fast'' men and women, with whom he was 
familiar in almost every large city of the Union from Kew 
Orleans to Portland. He was polishod in manners toward 
his equals or superiors (in a worldly sense ; in a moral sense, 
few men lived who were not his superiors) ; toward others 
he was as insolent and supercilious as any " son of the sunny 
South" who visited Northern cities, frequented Northern 
schools, apparently to show off their man and woman whip- 
ping spirit. He was, therefore, just the man to assassinate 
what to him was most detestable — a good, wise, freedom- 
loving man. Such a person he could hate with all the venom 
of a Satanic nature : such a being he could murder without 
counting the cost to himself, his family, or his country. And 
when we assume that there loere thousands of young men in 
the cotton-growing States who in their hearts applauded his 
act, we conceive it to be true, for the reason that there were 
thousands of just such as he, steeped in Slavery's licentious- 
ness, and Slavery's moral depravity. 



4-80 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Mr. Lincoln having visited Eiclimond upon tlie first day 
of its occupation by the Federal troops, had returned from 
thence to Washington much elated. That grand stroke by- 
Grant had lifted from the President's shoulders such a \vei2:ht 
as no man ever before bore — enough to have utterly crushed 
a less reliant, less honest-hearted, less persistent man. lie 
Lad reason for rejoicing, for his great work of suppressing 
the insurrection seemed drawino- to a close, and the work of 
reconstruction to open. Hourly the glad news of victory 
came in, as the scattered hosts of rebellion were seized and 
gathered up. The land was jubilant; never did the world 
witness such wide-spread, heart-felt demonstrations of joy. 
General Grant, considering his work done, had come North 
to visit his family. Washington was filled with a vast 
throng of eminent men, who seemed to gather there to be 
near the Nation's heart and feel its palpitations of joy. 

Such a moment the assassins chose for their work. Infu- 
riated over the loss of their cause, they would not brook 
the rejoicing around them, and, like fiends of darkness, re- 
solved to turn the rejoicing to woe. Meeting nightly in the 
house of Mrs. Mary E. Surratt, in Washington, the moment 
was watched when the blow could be most effectually struck. 
All arrangements were made for effective escape, for the des- 
perate men had many confederates, all pro-slavery devotees, 
who would cheerfully aid them in eluding pursuit. Once 
over in Virginia they might deem themselves safe for a time, 
at least, and among the mountains of West Virginia it was 
arranged for them to tarry until such moment as they could 
pursue their route to Texas and Mexico. All was arranged, 
in fact, which could be, to facilitate the perpetration of their 
hideous crime and their escape. That Mrs. Surratt had a 
full knowledge of the designs is presumed, though it was al- 
leged on her trial that she was in ignorance of its murderous 
nature. But that she entertained the conspirators, consorted 
with them, was closely identified, in fact, with the doings, 
were evidences which a merely negative plea could not avail 
to set aside, and the court adjudged her equally guilty with 



OF THE WAR. 481 

Bootb, Ilarolcl, Atzerotli and Payne, and wiili the latter 
three suffered the ignominious death of the scaffold. 

The announcement that Mr. Lincoln and General Grant 
would attend Fords Theatre, on the evening of the 14th, to 
witness the performance of "Our American Cousin," was 
seized as the signal for the fulfilment of the plot. It was 
agreed that Booth, being perfectly familiar with the theatre 
as an actor, and having already tampered with the President's 
private box, should "do the work" for all in the box; 
to Lewis Payne was assigned the murder of Mr. Seward, 
then lying at his residence very ill from severe injuries re- 
ceived a few days previous from being thrown from his car- 
riage; toothers, who escaped recognition, was allotted the 
tiisk of killing Secretary Stanton, Mr. Johnson, the Vice- 
President, and, there is some reason to suppose, Mr. Chase 
and Mr. Charles Sumner. All failed at the critical moment 
save Booth and Payne ; they alone had the necessary nerve 
for their stupendous crime. 

On Friday morning — the fatal Friday, which should re- 
main as a Holy Day in the Republic's calendar — his son, 
Captain Robert Lincoln, breakfasted with him. Robert hav- 
ing just returned from the seat of hostilities around Rich- 
mond, his father spent a happy hour at the table listening to 
the details of Lee's surrender. While at breakfast the Presi- 
dent heard that Speaker Colfax was in the house, and sent 
word that he wished to see him immediately in the reception- 
room. There they conversed nearly an hour about the fu- 
ture policy as to the rebellion, which Mr. Lincoln was about 
to submit to the Cabinet. Afterward he had an interview 
with Mr. Ilale, Minister to Spain, and several Senators and 
Representatives. 

At eleven o'clock the Cabinet and General Grant met with 
him, and in one of the most satisfactory and important Cabi- 
net meetings held since his first inauguration, the future 
policy of the Administration was harmoniously and unani- 
mously agreed on. When it adjourned. Secretary Stanton 
63 



482 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

said lie felt tluit the Government was stronger than at any 
previous period since the rebellion commenced. 

In the afternoon, the President had a long and pleasr.nt 
interview with Genei-al Oglesby, Senator Yates, and other 
leading citizens oJ his State. 

In the evening, Mi'. Colfax called again, at Mr. Lincoln's 
request, and ^Mr. Ashmun, of Massachusetts, who presided 
over the Clucago Convention of 1860, was present. To them 
be spoke of his visit to llichmond; and when they stated 
that there was much uneasiness at the North while he was 
at the I'chel capital for fear that some traitor might shoot 
him, he rei)lied jocularly that he would have been alarmed 
himself if c\ny other person had been President and gone 
there, but that he did not feel any danger whatever. Con- 
versing on a matter, of business with Mr. Ashmun, he made 
a remark at which he saw Mr. Ashmun was surprised ; and 
immediately, with his well-known kindness of heart, said: 
"You did not understand me, Ashmun ; I did not mean 
what 3-ou infer, so I will take it all back and apologize for 
it." lie afterward gave Mr. Ashmun a card to admit himself 
and friend early the next morning, to converse further about 
the matter. 

Turning to Mr. Colfax, he said: "You are going with 
Mrs. Lincoln and me to the theatre, I hope." But Mr. Col- 
fax had o her engagements, expecting to leave the city the 
next moining. 

He then said to ^fr. Colfax: "Mr. Sumner has the gavel 
of the Confederate Congi-ess, which he got at Richmond, to 
hand to the Secretary of AVar ; but I insisted then that he 
must give it to you ; and you tell him for me to hand it 
over." Mr. Ashmun alluded to the gavel which he still had, 
and which he had used at the Chicago Convention. The 
President and Mrs. Lincoln, who was also in the parlor, then 
rose to go to the theatre. It was half an hour after the time 
they had intended to start, and they spoke about v/aiting 
half an hour longer, for the President went with reluctance,' 
as General Grant had gone North, and he did not wish the 



OF THE WAR. 483 

people to be disappointed, as they had both been advertised 
to be there. At the door he stopped and said : " Colfax, do 
not forget to tell the people in the mining region as you pass 
through it, what I told you this morning about the develop- 
ment, when peace comes, and I will telegraph you at San 
Francisca" He shook hands with both gentlemen with a 
pleasant good-bye, and left the Executive mansion never to 
return to it alive. 

The following dispatch from the Secretary of War to the 
commander of the Department of New York, was the first 
official announcement of the tragedy, and some of its attend- 
ant circumstances : 

" War Department, 
Washington, Aj^ril 15 — 1.30 a. m. 

*^ Major- General Dix : Last evening at about half jjast nine p. m., at 
Ford's Theatre, the President, while sitting in his private box with. 
Mrs. Lincoln, ]\Irs. Harris and Major Rathburn, was shot by an 
assassin,, who su-ddeuly entered the box and approached behind the 
President. 

" The assassin then leaped upon the stage, brandishing a large dag- 
ger or knife, and made his cscaiae in the rear of the theatre. 

"The i^istol ball entered the back of the President's liead, and 
penetrated nearly through the head. The wound is mortal. The 
President has been insensible ever since it was inflicted, xmd is now 
dying. 

^' About the same hour an assassin, whether the same or not, en- 
tered l^Ir. Seward's apartments, and under the pretense of having a 
prescription, was shown to the Secretary's sick chamlx;r. The assas- 
sin immediately rushed to the bed and inflicted two or three stabs on 
the throat, and two on the face. It is hoped the wounds may not 
be mortal. My apprehension is that they will prove fatal. 

^'The nurse alarmed Mr. Frederick Seward, who was in the adjoin- 
iaig room, an-d hastened to the door of his father's room, when he met 
the assassin, who inflicted upon him one or more dangerous wounds. 
The recovery of Frederick Seward is doubtful. 

" It is not probable that the President will live through the night. 

'' General Grant and wife were advertised to be at the theatre last 
evening, but he started to Burlington at six o'clock. 

" At a Cabinet meeting, at which General Grant was present, the 
stiljject of the state of the country and the prosi^ect of a speedj 
peace was discussed. 



484 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

"The President was very cheerful and hopeful, and spoke very 
kind!}' of General Lee, and others of the Confederacy, and of the es- 
tablishment of government in Virginia. 

"All tlie members of the Cabinet, exeejit Mr. Seward, arc now in 
attendance upon the President. 

"I have seen Mr. Seward, but he and Frederick were both uncon- 
scious. EDWIN M. STANTON, Sec'y of War.'^ 

To say that the whole country was hoiTor- stricken, con- 
veys but a faint idea of the impression made by the event. 
All were, at first, startled and stunned. The crime was too 
mighty to gain immediate belief; but as bulletin after bulle- 
tin followed, giving the progress of the President's dissolu- 
tion, and adding further particulars of the scene in the 
theatre, the public mind became aroused to a fearful degree. 
All classes and conditions of men execrated the deed ; strong 
men wept like children ; the President's late political adver- 
saries were among those most moved and excited. It was an 
outburet of commingled grief and indignation such as the 
world never again may witness, proving not only the hold 
which Mr. Lincoln had upon the affections of the people, 
but also the depth of the popular devotion to the Govern- 
ment. Saturday was a day of tears — of stormy, intense ex- 
citement — of public and private manifestation of grief for 
the great loss. The whole land was draped in black ; it 
hung from windows and balconies ; it covered doors and 
walls. Woe to those who shared not in the sorrow, for an 
aroused vengeance pursued every man deemed in the slight- 
est degree to rejoice over the Nation's loss. "Well known 
sympathizers with secession and slavery were watched, and 
if the badge of mourning was not exhibited an enraged 
populace took the matter in hand. Such continued to be 
the state of feeling for many days, so deeply moved were the 
people over the tragedy. In some cases it Avas with extreme 
difficulty that officers of the law could protect some obnox- 
ious person from the violence of his fellow citizens, for some 
word or deed indicative of the individual's " copperhead " 
propensities. 

Immediately after the assassination, Mr. Lincoln was bornQ 



OF THE WAR. 485 

across the street, from the theatre to a private house, where 
at once the heads of Departments and other officers of Gov- 
ment gathered. In a little room at the end of the hall on 
the parlor floor the dying man was laid. The incidents of 
that sad, sad night were thus given by Mr. Maunsel B. Field, 
of the Treasury Department: 

" I proceeded at once to the room in which the President was lying, 
which was a bedroom in an extension, on the first or parlor floor of 
the house. The room is small, and is ornamented with prints — a very 
familiar one of Herring's "Village Blacksmith" being prominent di- 
rectly over the bed. The bed was a double one, and I found the 
President lying diagonally across it, with his head at the outside. 
The jjillows were saturated with blood, and there was considerable 
blood upon the floor immediately under him. There was a patch- 
work coverlet thrown over the President which was only so far re- 
moved, from time to time, as to enable the i^hysicians in attendance 
to feel the arteries of the neck or the heart, and he appeared to have 
been divested of all clothing. His eyes were closed and injected with 
blood, both the lids and the portions surrounding the eyes being as 
black as if they had been bruised by violence. He was breathing ' 
regularly, but with effort, and did not seem to be struggling or suf- 
fering. 

" The persons present in the room were the Secretary of War, the 
Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster-General, the Attorney-General, 
the Secretary of the Treasury (who, however, remained only till about 
five o'clock), the Secretary of the Interior, myself, General Auger, 
General Halleck, General Meigs, and, during the last moments. Cap- 
tain Robert Lincoln and Major John Hay. On the foot of the bed 
sat Dr. Stone ; above him, and directly opposite the President's face, 
Surgeon-General Barnes; another army surgeon was standing, fre- 
quently holding the pulse ; and another gentleman, not in uniform, 
but whom I understand to be also an army surgeon, stood a good 
deal of the time leaning over the head-board of the bed. 

" F(;r several hours the breathing above described continued regu- 
larly, and apparently Avithout pain or consciousness. But about seven 
o'clock a change occurred, and the breathing, which had been contin- 
uous, was interrupted at intervals. These intervals became more fre- 
quent and of longer duration, and the breathing more feeble. Several 
times the interval was so long^thatwe thought him dead, and the 
surgeon applied his finger to the pulse, evidently to ascertain if such 
was the fact. But it was not till twenty-two minutes past seven 
o'clock in the morning that the flame flickered out. There was no 



486 INCIDEN'TS AND ANECDOTES 

apparent suffering, no convulsive action, no rattling of tlie tbroal, 
none of the ordinary premonitory symptoms of death. Death in this 
case was a mere cessation of breathing. 

" The fact had not been ascertained one minute ^vhen Dr. Gurley 
oflfered up a prayer. The few persons in the room were all profoundly- 
affected. The President's eyes after death were not, particularly the 
right one, entirely closed. I closed them myself with my fingers, and 
one of the surgeons brought pennies and placed them on the eyes, 
and subsequently substituted for them silver half-dollars. In a very 
short time the jaw commenced slightly falling, although the body 
was still warm. I called attention to this, and had it tied up 
■with a pocket handkerchief. The expression immediately after death 
was purely negative, but in fifteen minutes there came over the month, 
the nostrils and the chin, a smile that seemed almost an effort of life. 
I had never seen upon the President's face an expression more genial 
and pleasing. Tiie body grew cold very gradually, and I left the 
room before it had entirely stiffened. Curtains had been previously 
drawn down by the Secretary of War. 

" Immediately after the decease, a meeting was held of the members 
of the Cabinet present, in the back parlor, adjacent to the room in 
which the President died, to which meeting I, of course, was not ad- 
mitted. About fifteen minutes before the decease, Mrs. Lincoln came 
into the room and threw herseff ujDon her dying husband's body. 
She was allowed to remain there only a few minutes, when she was 
removed in a sobbing condition, in which, indeed, she had been dur- 
ing all the time she was jjresent. 

" After completing his prayer in the chamber of death. Dr. Gurley 
went into the front parlor, where JMrs. Lincoln was with Mrs. and 
Miss Harris, and her son Robert, General Todd, of Dacotah (a cousin 
of hers), and General Farnsworth, of Illinois. Here another prayer 
was offered up, during which I remained in the hall. The i)rayer was 
continually interrupted by Mrs. Lincoln's sobs. Soon after its conclu- 
sion, I went into the parlor, and found her in a chair supported by 
her son Robert. Presently her carriage came up, and she was re- 
moved to it. She was in a state of tolerable composure at that time, 
until she reached the door, when, glancing at the theatre opposite, sho 
repeated three or four times : "That dreadful house! — that dreadful 
house ! " 

" Before I myself left, a guard had been stationed at the door of the 
room in which the remains of the late President were lying. Mrs. 
Lincoln had been communicated with, to ascertain whether she de- 
sired the body to be embalmed or not, and the Secretary of War had 
issued various orders, necessary in consequence of what had occurred." 



1 THE WAR. 487 

These orders embraced, among others, several addressed 
to General Auger as commandant of Washington and its de- 
fenses, directing the disposition of troops to cover every 
avenue leading out of the city. Washington was, before a 
half hour had passed after the assassination, thoroughly 
picketed and every person examined who attempted to leave 
the place. But Booth had mounted his ready-saddled horse 
and was riding down the Potomac out of reach of arrest. 
He passed at once, in company with one accomplice (David 
C. Harrold), to St. Mary's county, where, in a swamp, as pre- 
arranged, he sought temporary concealment, having a friend 
near at hand, in one Dr. Mudd, to provide for his wants. 
Payne^made his way into Virginia by one of the Potomac 
bridges, proposing to seek the protection of Moseby's guer- 
rillas, then hovering around the vicinity. 

Andrew Johnson was inaugurated President, in his rooms 
at his hotel, at ten A. M. of Saturday. A Cabinet meeting 
followed, and thereafter the machinery of Government moved 
on as harmoniously as if nothing had occurred to mar it — 
presenting to the world a spectacle which did not fail to in- 
spire renewed admiration f )r our governmental system. Such 
a tragedy would have rocked any throne of Europe to its 
base, and have produced a state of extreme public alarm for 
the succession. But here, even had the President and Vice- 
President both been taken away, their successor was at hand 
in the person of the presiding officer of the United States 
Senate^ thus rendering the Government's dissolution im- 
possible. 

Mr. Lincola's remains, after lying in state in the White 
House for several days, had the burial service solemnized 
over them on the 19th of April. The ceremonies were very 
impressive. A writer who was present on the sad, solemn 
occasion, wrote : 

" The great and solemn pageant of removing the remains of the 
Nation's revered and beloved Chief from the White House to the 
Capitol is closed. Never -was such a scene witnessed, where each and 
every one of the vast throng moved in silent sadness, as if bearing the 



488 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

burden of a personal bereavement. It lias been the writer's fortune 
to ■witness the funerals here of John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay and 
President Taylor. These were solemn and imposing, yet the event cf 
to-day was as the loss of an ardently loved parent to the death of a 
stranger. 

"At the White House the body lay uncoffined in the centre of the 
East room, the head resting to the north. From the entrance door at 
the nonlnvest end of the room were placed the pall-bearers, next the 
representatives of the army, then the judiciary. At the corner the 
Assistant Secretaries of the Departments, First on the eastern line 
the Senators of the States; next the Diplomatic corps, who were out 
in very large numbers and in full court suits. Then the ladies of the 
Cabinet Ministers ; next the Judges of the Supreme Court ; next, in 
the centre and in front of the catafalque, stood the new President, 
and behind him the Cabinet Ministers. The members of the Soiate 
joined their left; the House came next. At the corner turning south- 
ward stood the Kentucky delegation, divided on the left by the dele- 
gation from Illinois. Ou the south end were first the clergy, then the 
municipal delegations, the Smithsonian Institute, New York Chamber 
of Commerce, Common Councils of New York and Philadelphia, 
Union League delegations ; and around beside the southwest door of 
the Green room were stationed citizens' delegations from various quar- 
ters. The space surrounding the body to within about ten feet was 
filled by a raised platform, upon which the several bodies described 
above stood, 

"Throughout the ceremonies, within the reserved space on tho 
north corner were seated the officiating clergy ; on the south corner 
the mourners, consisting of the late President's two sons, his two pri- 
vate secretaries, and members of his personal household. Mrs. Lin- 
coln Avas so severely indisposed as to be compelled to keep her room. 
The recess of the double-centre doors leading to the large vestibule 
■was assigned to the representatives of the press. 

" The coffin was surrounded by an extended wreath of evergreen 
and white flowers, and upon its head lay a beautifully wrought cross 
of Japonicas and sweet elysium, at the centre a large wreath or shield 
of similar flowers. The East room waa heavily and plainly shrouded 
in black cloth and crape. 

" The services were peculiarly impressive, and the quotation con- 
cluding Dr. Gurley's sermon was most aptly appropriate and signifi- 
cant. The sermon over, the body was removed to the funeral-car for 
transportation to the Capitol — the pall-bearers, mourners, Diplomatic 
corps and Supreme Court riding in carriages — all others walking. 

" The exercises had commenced at precisely half-past twelve o'clock, 



OF THE WAR 489 

and it was two o'clock as the cortege from Avithin began to move out 
at the nortlnvestern gate." 

la the Capitol, under its loftj dome, the remains lay in 
state until Friday, the 21st— an immense throng constantly 
passing the body through the two days of its exposure. 
Then the solemn pageant of its removal to Springfield, Illi- 
nois, commenced — a pageant such as no country ever before 
witnessed. Moving from town to town, on trains expressly 
provided — but always retaining the funeral-car, and the Pres- 
ident's own car, in which he so often had journeyed — the 
remains paused at Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Al- 
bany, etc. In all places business was suspended, and vast 
throngs pressed to behold the face of the martyred man. 
The journey was called the passage of tears, and the week 
consumed in the transfer was a week of mourning. In New 
York the body lay in state part of two days, and was visited 
by so vast a multitude that all night of Monday, April 24:t\\ 
the unending line continued to pass. It was estimated that, 
by Tuesday noon, when the coffin was closed, five hundred 
thousand people had looked upon the dead face, while as 
many more were debarred the longed-for privilege, because 
of the impossibility to reach the spot where the coffin re- 
posed. It was then borne in a most magnificent cataflxlque 
though the main avenues leading to the railway depot. The 
dense mass of humanity which crowded the way seemed 
countless and unending. It was a memorable day — such as, 
pray God, never may return again. Such deep, heart-felt 
grief never before moved so many eyes to tears. 

As a feature of the occasion, and to mark how the life and 

death of Mr. Lincoln impressed the thinking minds of the 

country, we may here quote the address of George Bancroft, 

the historian, delivered to the assembled multitude after the 

cortege had passed Union square, in New York. It was, we 

may say, only one of Inindreds of orations pronounced by 

the best orators and divines in all sections of the Union, 

north, south, east and west, over the momentous occasion. 

Ministers of all denominations — Jews and Gentiles, Catholics 
64 



490 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

and Protestants, public and secret societies, men of all per- 
suasions and of all shades of political belief, joined in the 
"brotherhood of sorrow," and tos-cther rendered such tributes 
to the memory of the dead as no human being ever before 
received. Mr. Bancroft's oration was as follows : 

Our grief and horror at tiie crime which has clotlied the Continent 
in mourning, find no adequate expression in words and no relief iu 
tears. The President of the United States of America has fallen by 
the hand of an assassin. Neither the ofRce with which he was in- 
vested by the ajjproved choice of a mighty people, nor the most sim- 
ple-hearted kindliness of nature, could save him from the fiendish 
passions of relentless fanaticism. The waiiings of the millions attend 
bis remains as they are borne in solemn procession over our great 
rivers, along the seaside, beyond the mountains, across the prairie, to 
tl>eir final resting place in the valley of the Mississijopi. The echoes 
of his funeral knell vibrate through the world, and the friends of free- 
dom of every tongue and every climate are his mourners. 

Too few days have passed away since Abraham Lincoln stood in the 
flusli of vigorous manhood to permit any attempt at an analysis of his 
character or an exposition of his career. We find it hard to believe 
that his large eyes, which in their softness and beauty expressed 
nothing but benevolence and gentleness, are closed in death ; we al- 
tnost look for the pleasant smile that brought out more vividly the 
earnest cast of his features, which were serious even to sadness. 

A few years ago he was a village attorney, engaged in the support 
of a rising fixmily, unknown to fame, scarcely named beyond his neigh- 
borhood ; his administration made him the most consjjicuous man in 
his country, and drew on him first the astonished gaze, and then the 
respect and admiration of the Avorld. Those who come after us will 
decide how much of the wonderful results of his public career is due 
to his own good common sense, his shrewd sagacity, readiness of wit, 
quick interpretation of the public mind, his rare combination of fixed- 
ness and pliancy, his steady tendency of purpose ; how much to the 
American peo2)le, who, as he walked with them side ])y side, insjoired 
him with their own wisdom and energy ; and how much to the over- 
ruling laws of the moral world, by which the selfishness of evil is 
made to defeat itself. 

But, after every allowance, it will remain that members of the Gov- 
ernment which preceded his administration opened the gates to trea- 
son, and he closed them ; that when he went to Washington the 
ground on which he trod shook under his feet, and he left the Repub- 
lic on a solid foundation ; that traitors had seized public forts and 



OF THE WAR. 491 

arsenals, and he recovered them for the United States, to \vhom they 
belonged ; that the capital, which he found the abode oi falavca, is 
now the home only of the free ; that the boundless public, domain 
•which was grasped at, and, in a great measure, held for the diffusion 
of Slavery, is now irrevocably devoted to freedom ; that then men 
talked a jargon of a balance of power in a Republic between Slave 
States and Free States, and now the foolish words are blown away 
forever by the breath of Maryland, Missouri and Tennessee ; that a 
terrible cloud of political hereby rose from the aliyss threatening to 
hide the light of the sun, and under its darkness a rebellion was rising 
into indefinable proportions ; now the atmosiihere is purer than ever 
before, and the insurrection is vanishing away ; the country is cast 
into another mold, and the gigantic system of wrong, which had been 
the w'ork of more than two centuries, is dashed down, we hope, for- 
ever 

As to himself personally, he was then scoffed at by the proud as 
unfit for his station ; and now, against the usage of later years, and in 
spite of numerous competitors, he was the unbiased and the undoubt- 
ed choice of the American peojile, for a second erm of service. 
Through all the mad business of treason he retained the sweetness of 
a most placable disposition; and the slaughter of myriads of the best 
on the battle-field and the more terrible destruction of our men in 
captivity by the slow torture of exposure and stai-vation, had never 
been able to provoke him into harboring one vengeful feeling or one 
purpose of cruelty. 

How shall the Nation most comj^letely show its sorrow at Mr. Lin- 
coln's death ? How shall it best honor his memory ? There can be 
but one answer. He was struck down when he was highest in its 
service, and in strict conformity with duty was engaged in carrying 
out principles affecting its life, its good name, and its relations to the 
cause of freedom and the progress of mankind. Grief must take the 
character of action, and breathe itself forth in the assertion of the 
policy to which he fell a sacrifice. The standard which he held in his 
hand must be uplifted again, higher and more firmly than before, and 
must be carried on to triumph. Above everything else, his proclama- 
tion of the first day of January, 1863, declaring throughout the parts 
of the country in rebellion the freedom of all persons held as slaves, 
must be afSrmed and maintained. 

Events, as they rolled onward, have removed every doubt of the 
legality and binding force of that proclamation. The country and 
the rebel Government have each laid claim to the public service of the 
slave; and yet, but one of the two can have a rightful claim to such 
service. That rightful claim belongs to the United States, because 



492 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

every one boni on tlicir soil, with tlic few exceptions of the cliildrcn 
of travellers and transient residents, owes them a primary allegiance. 
Ever}^ one so horn has been counted among those represented in Con- 
gl^ess; every slave has ever been represented in Congress — imperfectly 
and wrongly it may be — but still has been counted and rejjresented. 
The slave born on our soil owed allegiance to the General Govern- 
ment. It may in time past have been a qualified allegiance, mani- 
fested through liis master, as the allegiance of a ward through its 
guardian or of an infant through its parent. But, when the master 
became false to his allegiance, the slave stood face to face with his 
country, and his allegiance, which may before have been a qualified 
one, became direct and immediate. Hrs chains fell ofiF, and he stood 
at once in the jiresence of the Nation, bound like the rest of us to its 
public defense. 

Mr. Lincoln's proclamation did not take notice of the already ex- 
isting right of the bondman to freedom. The treason of the master 
made it a public crime for the slave to continue his obedience ; the 
ti'eason of a State set free the collective bondmen of tlnxt State. 

This doctrine is sujjported by the analogy of j^recedents. In the 
times of feudalism the treason of the lord of the manor de2)rived him 
of his serfs; the spurious feudalism that existed among us differs in 
many res2)ects from the feudalism of the middle ages; but so for the 
precedent runs parallel with the present case; for treason the master 
then, for treason the master now, loses his slaves. In the middle ages 
the sovereign appointed another lord over the serfs and the laijd which 
they cultivated ; in our day, the sovereign makes them masters of 
their own jjersons, lords over themselves. 

It has been said that we are at war, and that emancipation is oiot a 
t " belligerent right." The objection disa25pears before analysis. In a 
war between independent powers the invading foreigner invites to his 
standard all who will give him aid, whether bond or free ; and he re- 
wards them according to his ability and his pleasure with gifts of 
freedom ; but when at peace he withdraws from the invaded country 
he must take his aiders and comforters with him ; or if he leaves them 
behind, where he has no court to enforce his decrees, he can give them 
no security, unless it l)e by the stipulations of a treaty. In a civil 
war it is altogether different. There, when, rebellion is crushed, the 
old Government is restored, and its Courts resume their jurisdiction. 
So it is with us; the United States have Courts of their own, that 
must punish the guilt of treason and vindicate the freedom of j^ersons 
whom the fact of rebellion has set free. 

Nor, may it be said that, because Slavery existed in most of the 
States when the Union was formed, it can not be rightfully interfered 



OP^.THE .WAR. 493 

■with now. A change has taken place, such as Madison foresaw, and 
for which he pointed out tlie remedy. The Constitutions of States 
liad been transformed before the plotters of treason carried them away 
into rebellion, Wlien the Federal Constitution was formed, general 
emancipation was thought to be near; and everywhere the respective 
Legislatui'es had authoritj'^, in the exercise of their ordinary functions, 
to do away with Slaverj^. 

Since that time the attempt has been made in what are called Slavo 
States to make the condition of Slavery perpetual ; and events have 
proved, with the clearness of demonstration, that a constitution which 
seeks to continue a caste of hereditary bondmen through endless 
generations is inconsistent with the existence of republican institu- 
tions. 

So, then, the new President and the jjeople of the United States 
must insist that the j^roclamation of freedom shall stand as a reality. 
And, moreover, the people must never cease to insist that the Consti- 
tution shall be so amended as utterly to prohibit Slavery on any park 
of our soil for evermore, 

Alas ! that a State in our vicinity should withhold its assent to this 
last beneficent measure ! its refusal was an encouragement to our ene- 
mies equal to the gain of a pitched battle ; and delays the only hope- 
ful method of pacification ! The removal of the cause of the, rebel- 
lion is not only demanded by justice ; it is the policy of mercy, making 
room for a M'idcr clemency ; it is the part of order against a chaos of 
controversy; its success brings with it true reconcilement, a lasting 
peace, a continuous groAvth of confidence through an assimilation of 
the social condition. Here is the fitting expression of the mourning 

No one can turn back or stay the march of Providence. No senti- 
ment of despair may mix with our sorrow, "We owe it to the memory 
of the dead, wc owe it to the cause of popular liberty throughout the 
world, that the sudden crime which has taken the life of the President 
of the United States shall .not produce the least impediment in the 
smooth course of public aHairs. This great city, in the midst of un- 
exampled emblems of deeplj'-seated grief, has sustained itself with 
composure and magnanimity. It has nobly done its part in guarding 
against the derangement of business or the slightest shock to public 
credit. The enemies of the Republic pwt it to the severest trial, but, 
the voice of faction has not been heard ; doubt and despondency have 
been unknown. In serene majesty the country rises in the beauty and 
strength and hope of youth, and proves to the world the quiet energy 
and the durability of institutions growing out of the reason and affec- 
tions of the iJcople. 



494 INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES 

Heaven has -willed it that the United States shall live. The nations 
of the earth can not spare them. All the worn out aristocracies of 
Europe saw in the spurious feudalism of slavehokling their strongest 
outpost, and banded themselves together with the deadly enemies of 
our national life. If the Old World will discuss the respective advan- 
tages of oligarchy or equality ; of the union of Church and State, or 
the rightful freedom of religion ; of land accessible to the many, or 
of- land monopolized by an ever decreasing number of the few, the 
United States must live to control the decision by their quiet and un- 
obtrusive example. 

It has often and truly been observed that the trust and affection of 
the masses gather naturally around an individual. If the inquiry is 
made whether the man so trusted and beloved shall elicit from the 
reason of the peo^jle enduring institutions of their own, or shall se- 
quester political power for a superintending dynasty, the United 
States must live.to solve the problem. If a question is raised on the 
respective merits cf Timoleon or Julius Caesar, of Washington or. Na- 
poleon, the United States must be there to call to mind that there 
were twelve Caesars, most of them the opi^robrium of the human race, 
and to contrast with them the line of American Presidents. 

The duty of the hour is incomplete, our mourning is insincere if, 
while we express unwavering trust in the great jDrinciples that under- 
lie our Government, we do not also give our support to the man to 
whom the people have entrusted its administration. Andrew Johnson 
is now, by the Constitution, the President of the United States, and 
he stands before the world as the most consiDicuous representative of 
the industrial classes. It remains for him to consummate the vindi- 
cation of the Union. To that Union Abraham Lincoln lias fallen a 
martyr. His death, which was meant to sever it beyond repair, binds 
it more closely and more firmly than ever. The blow aimed at him, 
was aimed not at the native of Kentucky, not at the citizen of Illinois, 
but at the man who, as President, in the executive branch of the Gov- 
ernment, stood as the representative of every man in the United States. 
The object of the crime was the life of the whole people; and it 
wounds the affections of the whole people. From Maine to the south- 
west boundary of the Pacific, it makes us one. The country may have 
needed an imperishable grief to touch its inmost feeling. The grave 
that receives the remains of Lincoln, receives the martyr to the Union; 
the monument which will rise over his body will bear witness to the 
Union ; his enduring memory will assist during the countless ages to 
bind the States together, and to incite to the love of our one undivid- 
ed, indivisible country. 



OF THE WAR. 495 

Peace to the aslies of our departed friend, the friend of liis country 
and bis race. Hajjpy was liis life, for lie was the restorer of the Re- 
public ; be was happy in bis death, for the manner of his end will 
plead forever for the Union of the States and the freedom of man. 

And thus was he buried by the nation — buried, but leav- 
ing behind a Hving idea which associates the name of 
Abraham Lincoln with all that's good, just and wise — a lover 
of his country, an Apostle of Liberty to those in bonds, an 
instrument in the hands of Providence in accomplishing a 
work of national regeneration second only to that religious 
regeneration consummated by the great Saviour of the world. 



PROSPECTUS 

OF 



(CIVIL., POLITICAL AND MILITARr') 

OF THE 

SOUTHERN REBELLION, 

CoiEPKEnENPixG, A^so, All Important Ftatr Papers, (Contkiikrate >\n Fedrral,) All Oiu>i- 

KASICES OF SKriSSSiil.V, rKOCKKDlNGS OF CoNGKESS, (ReIIKL AND KEnEUAL.) RtMARK- 
ABLK Sl'EECnES, &C. ; TOCKTHEK WITH OHICIAL RKrORTS OF CoJ:iL\.\DEB3, 

Army a.\d Navy Stati&tics, IIai-s, &c. 

BY OKVILLE J. VICTOH, 

AufbLOr of ** History of American Coi-ispiraeies<," &o. 

J: D . TORREY. Publisher. 

To be completed in Three Volumes, Super-Royal Octavo. 

BEAUTIFULLY H.LUSTRATED WITH STRRL ENGRAVIXGS. MAPS, 

&C., PRLPARED EXPRESSLY FOR THIS WORK BY JOHN 

ROGERS, AND OTHER FIRST-CLASS ARTISTS. 



"Volunxes Oixe nnd T>vo no^w I'eacly. 



This truly NATIONAL WORK (characterized by a leading Jour- 
nal as the " Paragon of Histories,") has now taken its place in literature 
as the History, jxir excellence, of the Great Rebellion. It has received 
(as will be seen by reference to the letters and notices subjoined) the 
endorsement of the leading men and the leading journals of the coun- 
try. It is commended by those most qualified to judge, as such a Re- 
cord of the Rise, Protrress, and Results of the War for the Uuion as 
EVERY INTELLIGENT CITIZEN SHOULD POSSESS. 

As each volume contains more letter-press tlian any two vohimeg of other pro- 
fessed " Histories " now offered to tlie public, it ivill be perceived that this Great 
Work, on the score of fullness and completeness, will cliullenge all comparison. 

The Entire History will be comprised in three Super-Royal octavo volnmeg, 
of about GOO pages each, beautifully printed, in double columns, from Buecially 
prepared type. The amount of matter in each volume is equivalent to iJie con- 
tents of six ordinary dollar books ! Thus, in the three volumes the author wiii 
Lave ample space to consider every event fully and satisfactorily, should the war 
drag its slow length along through another year. 

TUB WORK CAN ONLY BE HAD OP THE CANVASSER. IT IS NOT SOLD BY " THB 
TRADE." kl.h WHO WISH TO BECOME POSSESSED OF IT SHOULD AVAIL THEMSELVES 0» 
THE FIRST PROI'OSITION OF THE AGENT. 

Address Correspondence to 

EI>TF^IiI> F. HOVETT, Gen. Afft-. 

13 Spruce Street, N. Ti 



LIST or STEEL El^GRAVniGS HT VOLUMES I AND II OP VIGTOI"B 

HISTOEY or THE SOUTHERN REBELLION. 

volxjm:e I. 

Title Page. — Bombardment of Fort Sumxeb. 

PORTRAITS. 
Gen. Halleck, Gen. Burnsibe, Gen. McDotteli., 

" McClellan, " Heintzelman, And. Johnson, 

" Hooker, " Sumner, Robt. Andebsos 

" SiGEL, ■' Banks, J. Holt, 

" John A. Dix. 

volxjm:e II. 

Title. — Bombardment of Fort Sumter, 

Destruction of Gosport Navy Yard, 

Bombardment of tue Port Royal Forts, 

Battle of Wilson's Creek and Death of General Lton. 

PORTRAITS. 
Pbes. Lincoln, Sec. Welles, Gen. McCook, 

Beg. Seward, Gen. Scott, . " Wallace, 

" CnASE, " JIcClernand, " Sdekman, 

" Smith, " Rosecrans, " Thomas, 

" Bates, " Grant, " Prentiss. 

" Cameron, " Curtis, 

Uaps. — McDowell's Official Map of tbe Plan of the Battle of Bull Run. 

Map of Wilson's Creek, showing the relative positions and dispositions 
of forces. 
Volume III will contain a large number of Battle Scenes, Portraits, &c. 



Letters of Distinguished Citizens 

TO THE PUBLISHER OF THE IHSTORY, (CIVH., POLITICAL 
AND MILITARY,) OF THE SOUTHERN REBELLION. 

Letter of Gov. E. D. Morgan, of New York. 

Sir : I have examined the second mimber of your " History of the Southern Kcbcllion," and I 
take ])leiisiire in siiyiug that it fully justitios the lavorablo opiuiou I bad formed of the work 
from the flrsl number. 

It is gratilyiiij; to know that competent hands have undertaken the delicate task of separating 

the true hislorlcal material from the immense mass of printed matter which now fliuls its way, 

through a thousand channels, to the i)ul)lic, and presenting it in a conuected form convcnicut 

for present reference. Your publication, it seems to me, unites this with many other excellencies. 

1 am, very respectfully yours, E. I). MORGAN. 

letter of Mai.-Gen. John A. Dix. 
Dear ?in : I have examined the first number of your History of the Kebcllion in the Soutnern 
States, and I consider it a publication of great value. Prepared immediately alter the events 
anil occurnMices it is intended to record, no important paper or essential fact is likely to be lost; 
and I sincerely hope the encouragement it receives from the public will ensure its continuance 
to tlje termination of the contest. I am, respectfully yours, JOHN. A. JJIX. 

Letter of Gov. John A. Andrew, of Massachusetts. 
Drar Sra : 1 thank you for calling my attention to your history of the rise and progress of tho 
Southern Kebellion. 1 have examined the ])ages of the first monthly jiart with some care, and 
have formed a very favorable opinion, not only of tho plan of the work, but of the manner in 
which it is to be executed. Such a condensation of facts, and presentation of o'ticial documents, 
relating to the present war, cannot fail to be of great present interest and utility, and in futiiro 
years will be Invaluable to all who will wish to study tho details of the great conspiracy against 
constitutional liberty and the rights of human it v. 

Yours very truly, JOHN A. ANDREW. 

Letter of Hon. Benj. "Wade, of Ohio. 

Sir: I have examined with care, the first four nunil)ors of your history of " Tho Southern 
Bebellion;" and so (ar as I can judge, it contains a lucid exposition of the causes which led to 
this Rebellion, in the order iu which they occurred, and, without going into tedious details: if 
has omitted nothing which bears essentially upon the subject. I believe it to be just such a . 
Work as the times demand, and it should be in the bauds of every one who wishes to have a 
thorough understanding ol thiH graat Rebellion, and the motives which prompted its loaders to 
«ai<age in it, BespectfuUy yours, B. F. WADE. 



Letter of Gov. A. G. Curtin, of Pennsylvania. ' " 

Dear Sm : Jly engagements hiive not permitted more than a hasty glanco at your " History 

«f the Southern Rebellion," but I am very much pleased with its general plan and the style of 

Its puliUcation. Such a work deserves, and, I lhi»k, cannot fail to meet with a great circt^ 

l»tJon. Very resjiectfully yours, A. G. CURTIN. 

letter of Hon. Edward Everett, of Boston. 

Dear Sm : I have looked cursorily over the lirst number of the monthly edition of the history 
of'' The Southern Rebellion," and formed a favorable opinion of the plan and execution of tha 
work. Respectfully yours, EDWAHD EVERETT. 

Letter of Hon. N, P. Tallmadge. 

Dear Sm : I have read with attention seven numbers of your history of" The Southern Re- 
bellion." The plan of the work is admirable; the matter is selected with much care, .and tho 
narrative by which it is connected displays great judgment and ability. As a book of roierence 
it is almost indispensable to the professional man and the statesman; and as a mere history it 
ought to be in the bauds of every loyal citizen of the United states. There can nowhere else be 
found so true and succinct an account of this, the most stupendous, the most causeless, as well 
M the most infamous Kebcllion ever known in the annals of the world. 

Very truly yours, N. P. TALLIIADGE. 

Letter of Hon. Jolin Sherman, of Ohio. 

Sir : I have carefully read the first number of your history of the Rise and Progress of the 
present Rebellion. I heartily ajiprovo of your undertaking. 

A carefully prepared record of the events connected with the present war will not only bo of 
value now, but will bo an important magazine of facts for future historians. 'Ihe history of this 
rebellion will hereafter be read with as much interest as, and will be regarded as of even great- 
er importance than that of the French Revolution. 

Your work has already been of great service to me as a text-book, for dates of important 
events. Your Historical Summary is alone worth more than the whole cost of your book. 
Every intelligent reader will have occasion to refer to it to revive his recollection. 

I therefore trust that you will receive such a liberal share of patronage ,as will justify you ia 
excculmg your plan. I am, very truly yours, JOHN SliEKMAN. 

Letter of Gov. Wm. A. Buckingham, of Connecticut. 
Sir : I am lu receijit of two numbers of" The Hi.story of the Pouthern Rebellion," which pro- 
Bcnt a concise view of events connected with our political and governmental history as they are 
now passing. 1 think it will prove a valuable record fur future reference. 

Yours respectfully, WM! A. BUCKINGHAM. 

Letter of Gov. Erastus Fairbanks, of Vermont. 
Dear Sir : I have received the first and second monthly numbers of your " History of tho 
Southern Rebellion," and have much pleasure in recommending it as a work of invaluable im- 
portance to every American citizen. 

The publication is timely, and tho design excellent. It is thus far a graphic and truthful re- 
cord of the transactions and events preceding and connected with the rebellion, a convouient 
manual for present reference, and an imijortant t'^xt for future historians. 

Respectfully yours, ERASTUS FAIRBANKS. 



Letter of Gov. N. S. Berry, of Few Hampshire, 
Dear Pir : By your politeness I have received tho first and secoml numbers of your History 
of the Rebellion in the Southern States, and have devoted such attention to the work as my 
many duties at jpre.sent will permit. I am deeply impressed with tho importance, style and ex- 
ecution of the same. As a history and textbook of dales of important events it must meet with 
great favor l)y an intelligent people I hope you will meet with such patronage aud support as 
will warrant you in the full prosecution of the work. 

Very respectfully, N. S. BERRY. 

Letter of Hon. S. S. Cox, of Ohio. 

Dear Fir : I have examined, with some critical care, the first uum'.,*r of your " Rebellion 
History." During the ])eiideiicy of the matter described, and in the midst of the scenes por- 
trayed", I was a witness of wliat has transpired and which you have placed in enduring record. 
I tliink the design as patriotic .and valuable, as the execution is creditable aud truthful. In ar- 
rangement, style and matter, you certainly have been very felicitous. 

Yours, &c., S. S. COX. 



Letter of Gov. Washburne, of Maine. 
Dear Sir : I thank you for a copy of the first number of the history of " The Southern 
Rebellion." 

From a r.apid examination of it, I am sure it will be an invaluable record of the most import- 
Bat era iu our national history. No intelligent citizen can afford to be without it. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

J. WASHBURN, Jb. 



Letter of Prosper M, Wetmore. 
Dkar Sir : I wish to express to you hnw much pleasure I have derived from reading year 
History of the Rebi-llion. As a book of reference it is of great value to all who have occasion to 
&Z dates and collate facts in connection with the rebellion. 

I am. respectfully yours, PROSPER U. AVHITMORB. 



1 



